The Noble Truth
by Nikkel
Summary: Lies, lies, lies. They've always surrounded Azula, consumed her, swallowed her... Zuko recognizes that if left alone, she'll discover the cold, hard truth. He knows that as her older brother, he has to rescue her, and bring her safely home... ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

**The Noble Truth  
**_By Nikkel  
_(c) to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon Studios

* * *

The stench of the place was the worst part.

Raw sewage collected in the dark corners. Not even death smelled so rancid, so vile. Screams continued to echo long after their screamers had rotted in their chains. Evil spirits plagued the halls, feeding on their victims, leaving only flesh and bone behind. Even the rats fell prey to the evil spirits of the Fire Nation's top security prison and mental ward.

Guards dressed in heavy crimson armor patrolled the narrow corridors of the shadowy dungeon, whips in hand. They passed through the evil spirits with ease, for the specters only existed in the minds of the criminals. A man with no hair or clothes clutched his skull and rambled incoherently to himself. The guards paid him no mind. One guard in particular paused before one of the cells, hands clasped behind his back, glaring at the prisoner inside. Unlike the rest of the howling criminals, this one was quiet...

Too quiet.

"You should probably start screaming. The warden won't like to see that you've gone quiet on him," the guard sneered, looking through a hole in the iron door that led into the prisoner's cell. A wall of bars left a wide space between him and her, so that no matter how hard she tried, he would always be out of reach. He could see her eyes – fiery and wild, untamed. He pounded on the door and the sound of chains told him that she was paying attention now.

"Getting up now?" the guard snorted. "You're _pathetic_."

The prisoner lunged forward with a wild howl, muffled by a leather mask, but wild nonetheless. She yanked at her chains in the wall, the only thin holding her back. Their metal began to glow red, burning her arms and ankles; her roar of anger twisted into a cry agony. The prisoner fell to her knees and crashed to the stone floor. There, she writhed, squirming and rolling, banging her head against the wall to rid the pain.

"That's more like it!" the guard cackled, thumping the door with the butt of his whip, her screams escalating.

"And just what exactly do you want your prisoner to do, soldier?"

The guard jumped and snapped into an attention position. He instantly recognized his superior.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" he exclaimed. "I... I did not know that you were visiting today."

"Then you should be more informed, next time," Zuko growled, a hood pulled over his head. "Let me into the prisoner's cell."

"Yes, sir."

The guard pulled a hefty key ring from his side and unlocked the heavy iron door. It swung inward, rusty hinges creaking and crunching out the prisoner's screams. Orange light flooded into the cell, illuminating the dripping walls and dusty spiderwebs. From the entrance, the prisoner was a feeble thing, lying in her own filth, moaning and whimpering.

"Do you need any assistance, my lord?" the guard asked.

"No. All I want is privacy."

"I will be right outside, then," the guard said, and closed the door behind him.

Zuko sat down on a wooden bench suspended by chains, groaning beneath his weight. He held his breath as the noise echoed throughout the cell. The first time he had been in this particular cell, he had vomited, but he held himself back from doing such a thing, now. The prisoner deserved just as much respect as he did.

He had come to visit her every other week. And with every visit, he sat in silence on the bench, watching everything she did. The first time he had come, she had reared up in a blind rage, spitting obscenities and thrashing at the bars between them. She had screamed at him, cried at him, howled in rage at him; but it was all the same. He would wait until she said something that made sense, when her mind wasn't clouded with hatred, confusion, and revenge. It would be when she was able to talk like a human being again, that he would finally reply to her.

He hated seeing her there, on the floor and broken. It was impossible for her to receive _any _medical attention. She was too much of a risk to unchain or sedate. He had never thought he would see her, _of all people_, in such an awful state. He had always imagined a different sort of fate for her, where she would slowly come to realize that the world wasn't always what she wanted it to be, but he had never expected the revelation to hit her all at once. It had reduced her to an animalistic child.

He knew his followers questioned why he would visit her. They considered her to be a lost cause. They all had heard the commotion in the plaza that day, and had come running during the fateful Agni Kai. They all saw her chained to the grate, psychosis smashing through her mind and breaking out of her like a dragon kept in its cave too long. They had seen her breakdown and knew that all efforts to restore her back to what she was would end in failure. The nation had turned its back on her and given up before they had even tried. They thought their Fire Lord was wasting his time and their money.

Zuko chose to ignore the insults hurled at him for seeing her and refused to listen to their political complaints. He was focusing now, more than ever, on trying to make peace amongst the nations. The people didn't understand – Why couldn't peace be made overnight? Why couldn't the new Fire Lord erase the blood spilled by their blades? Why was it taking so much time? – they often wondered. The people were impatient, true to their fiery nature, and demanded to know things from their new Fire Lord that he could not always answer.

The peoples' voices' could not reach him here, though. He sat hunched over on the wooden bench, hands clasped on his knees, eyes only focused on the prisoner behind the bars. Lost in his thinking, he noticed that she had placed herself against the wall in a slumped position. Her head was caked in dried blood and rested against the dark stone, passed out from exhaustion.

For exactly one hour, Zuko waited for her to show some sign of life. She was alive, but struggling; he watched her chest rise and fall in shallow breaths, her arm twitch and rattle her chains, and slump more and more to the floor. It reminded him of when they were younger and how they would have to stay up late for all the royal parties. They would sneak off from the family to play hide-and-go-seek. She was an excellent hider and it would take him all night to find her, but when he did, she would be fast asleep in her hiding place. The scene was so clear in his mind, he thought he saw the same girl before him, despite her tangled hair, beaten body, and tattered clothes.

To him, she was still his little sister.

The guard outside knocked on the door; his one hour was up. Zuko stood for one long moment, casting his gaze to the prisoner. What would become of her? Would she rot, like all of the other criminals in the cells? The citizens of the Fire Nation could be right about her state of mind, or lack of one. But he knew he couldn't give up hope, for if he did, she would have no one left.

"Anything conclusive you would like to report, sir?" the guard asked as he walked out.

"No." Zuko shook his head without looking at him. He joined a pair of Imperial Firebenders escorting him. "Let's get back to the ship."

As soon as he turned his back, a haunting wail rose into the air like a dying dragon.

It was a cry he heard every time.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Welcome to the first completely-edited chapter! If you've read this story before, I'm certain you'll be pleased with the small tweaks I've made to improve the quality of the story. I've been editing several chapters in hopes of being able to complete the story altogether, because it's a story that I feel needs to be told. To be clear, I have not read "The Journey" comic that was released in January 2012, so we're still sticking with a fan-theory here.


	2. Chapter 2

******The Noble Truth  
**_By Nikkel  
_(c) to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon Studios

* * *

Mai cradled the calligraphy brush in her hand, painting a smooth, black line on a sheet of parchment. With the same, fluid movement she completed the character. She dipped the quill on the inkpad and glanced at the piece of parchment next to the one she had written on. To the normal eye, the paper she was copying off of was so scribbled and smudged on, it couldn't be read. She raised a thin eyebrow at the blurred splotches that tried to pass as characters.

"How in the world did you _ever _pass calligraphy?" Mai murmured. It seemed that she was the only one that could read Zuko's chicken scratch.

"I didn't. I was only able to learn the basics," Zuko replied, entering the chamber. He tossed his heavy Fire Lord robes to the floor, sweating as if he had just dueled in an Agni Kai. He undressed everything, but left on a pair of pants.

"Well, basics or not, you still could have perfected it somehow," Mai drawled from her seat. "With all those days at sea, your uncle would have helped you."

"He was more interested in drinking tea and playing Pai Sho," he replied, rolling his shoulders and rubbing his bloodshot eyes. He shuffled over to his girlfriend and draped his arms around her. She scrunched her nose.

"What?" he asked.

"You _reek_. Go away."

Mai held her nose and pushed him away. Instead, he leaned forward and snuggled all of his stink into her.

"You're _disgusting_," she coughed.

"From you, that's a compliment," he teased, releasing her. Mai grunted and brushed the smell off, returning to the scrolls she still had to copy. Zuko followed her gaze. He didn't need to ask how it was going.

"I really _hate _politics," she grumbled. Zuko shrugged, flopping onto the king-sized bed. He tucked his arms behind his head and stared at the vaulted ceiling.

His head pounded. Angry voices yelled in his head from the most recent peace meeting. He had thought that everything would have died down by now, what with the war ending eight months ago, but he couldn't have been more wrong. The people of the government were worse than the people of the city – former generals, ministers, mayors, senators, war officers... They were a bunch of squabbling children. He wondered how the Avatar was able to make peace with a wave of his hand; it was probably because he didn't have to deal with the formalities and bureaucracies that followed. It drove Zuko up the wall.

Something soft touched his knee. He looked up and found Mai at the edge of the bed. Her eyes were a dark honeysuckle. Zuko was finding that color in her eyes more and more often.

"You shouldn't worry about me," he said. "I'm fine."

"But I do, Zuko. What's going to happen when someone tries to kill you?" she replied.

"There are hundreds of threats every day, but none of them happen."

"_Zuko_..."

"Sorry," he apologized. "But everything's fine. It will be. And it'll be even finer when you're beside me as Fire Lady."

Mai walked over to the open window, numb to his words. The cool breeze billowed the thin, cream-colored curtains. It was a beautiful night, the full moon hanging along the edge of the oceanic horizon. Mai longed to drag Zuko from the bed and have him hold her on the marble balcony, enjoying starry skies as they used to, but... that was not so.

"I went to see her today," he said.

"Who?" she asked.

"_Her._"

"And how was it?" Mai asked with an edge in her voice.

"Depressing... I want to help her, Mai. I know that she... She might be lost, but... she's my sister. I can't just give up on her. I wish that you wouldn't."

"I haven't," Mai snapped. "I'm just not keen on seeing her."

"Why not?"

"Because she's no longer my _friend_, Zuko. Whether she really was or not, I can't just forgive her like you can. I've made my choice and am sticking with it."

"I wish you would... or that somebody else but me would."

"What about your uncle?"

"He's as busy as I am."

"With what? Selling tea can't be _that _hard."

"Being the former Fire Lord's older and rightful brother of the throne has its complications. He's helping me with everything that's going on."

"I see."

"Mai... What about Ty Lee?"

"What about her?"

"Do you think I could..."

"No. No, Zuko. Ty Lee doesn't deserve to see things like that. It would traumatize her. We'd have to ship her to a mental ward as well..." She paused. "You really _are _tired, aren't you?"

She looked over her shoulder at him. She went and sat down on the bed. She laid a hand on his forehead, pushing his ebony bangs out of his eyes, careful not to touch the rough skin of his scar. Zuko smiled.

"Do you have to ask?"

Mai leaned over and kissed him. He placed a hand on her hip, ready for more, when she pulled back.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You still stink," she grunted, wrinkling her nose. "Get up. Take a bath."

"But – "

"I'm not willing to sleep with anyone that smells bed, even if he's the Fire Lord."

"Fine..." Zuko groaned, sat up, and walked across the room. He grabbed a black robe and threw it over his shoulders, opening the door. "But you better be here when I get back."

"You've left me enough scrolls to last until the next eclipse. Now _go_," Mai said. He left. She stood up and returned to the desk. She pushed her work aside and pulled out two new pieces of parchment. It took her fifteen minutes each to complete both letters. She made sure they were dry by blowing on each of them, placing the wooden bases inside, and rolling them up. Reaching to the station above the desk, she pulled down a sapphire ribbon, tying it around the first letter. Around the other, she tied a scarlet ribbon.

She carried the two letters to a crimson messenger-hawk sitting on an ivory pedestal next to the window. He squawked and flapped his wings. Mai opened the canister on his back and dropped in the blue-ribboned message and then tied the red-ribboned message to his leg.

"Deliver this to the Imperial Station. They'll take it from there," she ordered, patting the bird's sleek head. He blinked his dark eyes and flew off into the night. Mai crossed her arms, watching the messenger-hawk glide and dive in front of the full moon, and then soar to the Imperial Station.

Mai sat back down on the bed and waited for Zuko to return. In the meantime, she bowed her head in silent prayer to Agni.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, so I know Azula isn't being held in a prison. She's being held in an insane asylum overseas. However, we have no idea the state of the asylum - for many years, asylums were very much like prisons, where people with extreme behaviors were locked up worse than criminals. We were given a glimpse of what a high-security prison was like on the Boiling Rock... Also: I would like to thank my beta, Marshmallow 13, who did the first draft of editing for me. That draft was the one most of you probably read, but if you haven't read this story before, you're on the right path.


	3. Chapter 3

******The Noble Truth  
**_By Nikkel  
_(c) to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon Studios

* * *

"Watch out!"

Ty Lee ducked, a shruiken spiralling over her head and slamming into the enemy bandit. Ling rushed and grabbed her by the arm, dodging an arrow from the bushes. They collapsed, but caught themselves push-up style, arrows shooting above them like meteors. Ty Lee swung her gaze down the field.

"Hey, Ling! Look over there!"

Ty Lee pointed at the edge of the meadow lined with rows of trees, hiding the ninja that were attacking them.

"Let's go!"

The two of them ran, criss-crossing and zig-zagging, dodging arrows and shruiken alike. Ty Lee was as light as air, leaping over boulders and avoiding enemy fire as if it were a game. She flipped through the air with a smile, not even challenged. Ling crouched low to the ground like a tiger, speeding through the grass. They moved as a tag team, set upon their destination.

The trees vanished and they burst into an open field. They passed two white flags that marked the edge of the forest, hoots and cheers following them.

"We did it, Ty Lee, we did it!" Ling exclaimed, punching the air in victory. Their run had been a test, and with teamwork, they had passed.

"Oh, this is fantastic!" Ty Lee squealed, beaming. She squeezed Ling in a bear hug, disregarding warrior etiquette. No longer was she dressed in shades of pin kand peach, but greens and blacks. Her plated armor hid her delicate figure and makeup covered her childish face, but she was still the youthful acrobat she was born to be. Ty Lee had spiritually transformed into a warrior, destined to protect the Earth Kingdom cities. She was now an official Kyoshi Warrior.

But the cheering stopped. Their leader approached them and carried a large fan in her arms. Ty Lee bounced from foot to foot, shaking her fists, wriggling around like an excited puppy. Her eyes brimmed with tears, never having felt so accomplished in her life. She fell to her knees in a deep bow and honored her leader.

"She's turned into quite the pupil, hasn't she girls?" Suki said, smiling at her. "I think we can skip the formalities for this one. Ty Lee, you are now an honorary Kyoshi – "

"Suki! Warriors!" A man tore into the clearing. "Warriors! There are Fire Nation soldiers in the town! Please, come quickly!"

"Whoa, slow down there," Suki said, and passed the giant fan to a different warrior. She turned to the man and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The Fire Nation isn't our enemy anymore."

"But there are soldiers in the town!"

"What?"

"Oyaji is furious. He says if they don't leave, he'll take action!"

"Okay, then. Stay calm and we'll handle this. Girls, let's go. Ty Lee..."

Suki cast a glance to her, feeling bad that her special moment was interrupted. But a stern look of determination crossed Ty Lee's face. She clenched her fists.

"It's not the clothes, the makeup, or the skills that make me a Kyoshi Warrior. It's protecting the people and doing what's right," Ty Lee said, quoting Avatar Kyoshi. Suki smiled and nodded in approval. Yes, Ty Lee was a good pupil indeed.

The eight of them followed the man down to the village square. A metal Fire Nation ship loomed along the shoreline, spewing smoke and ash, a scarlet flag fluttering in the wind. Fire Nation soldiers rode up to them on ostrich-horses, carrying their noble spears and wearing their helmets, as if they were still at war.

"I've said it once, I'll say it again: The Fire Nation is _not _welcome on Kyoshi Island! Please leave at once!" Oyaji shouted at a group of three soldiers.

"We have a message to deliver," the center-most soldier replied.

"Girls!" Oyaji exclaimed as he saw the Kyoshi Warriors. "I'm so glad you're here! These soldiers won't leave!"

"We have a letter to deliver. It is from the Royal Palace. It is of utmost importance."

"I'll take it," Suki said, offering her hand out. The soldier complied and handed her a canister. She opened the cap and dropped the scroll out. "Well, there's no trace of explosive powder or poison dust. Does that satisfy you, Oyaji?"

"Well..."

"The Fire Nation isn't our enemy anymore. I know the Fire Lord," Suki replied with confidence, and then examined the name written on the blue ribbon. "It's... It's for you, Ty Lee."

"For me?" Ty Lee stepped past the other Kyoshi Warriors and took the scroll.

"Normally, we would have sent a messenger hawk, but the sender of the message requested an escort for you. We will be waiting down by the shore when you have made your decision," the soldier said and tugged on the reins of his ostrich-horse. The three soldiers then went back down the mountain in peace. Oyaji eyed the ship along the shore. He crossed his arms and glared at the crimson flag.

"I hope the Unagi gets them."

.:..:..:.

Ty Lee sat with the blue-ribboned letter that night. She knew she was probably supposed to go back with the Fire Nation ship, but didn't know if she wanted to. She stared at the scroll in her lap, unopened. The cerulean ribbon glittered in the dim candlelight. Ty Lee ran her fingers over the fine letter of her name, brushed in black.

When she had been given the option of joining the Kyoshi Warriors in prison, she had taken the chance. They were kind, comforting her in ways that Mai had been reluctant to do. They kept her spirits up. They welcomed her into their circle of friendship and congratulated her for "making the right choice". Mai had seen her do all of this – they still talked, but after incident at the Boiling Rock, they were growing distant. Ty Lee was able to spill her heart out to the Kyoshi Warriors about that day, whereas Mai refused to discuss it at all.

"So whadda ya got there?"

"Yeah, Ty Lee, whatcha got?"

Two of her fellow Kyoshi Warriors, Chin and Sun, appeared on either side of her. Like her, they were newer recruits, and a fast friendship had formed between the trio.

"Oh, um, just a letter," Ty Lee coughed. She had been hoping to read it in private, but there was no hiding anything when one shared a house full of sneaky Kyoshi Warriors.

"Well, what does it say?" Chin asked.

"Yeah, what does it say?" Sun echoed. "It looks like it's from the Fire Nation!"

"Yeah, it is," Ty Lee replied.

"You're not in trouble with them, are you?" Sun asked.

"I have a friend there, Mai. I think she wants me to visit," Ty Lee said.

"How come?"

"I don't know."

"You haven't read the letter?"

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"I guess I should read... Shouldn't I?"

Swallowing her fear, Ty Lee untied the ribbon, placing it aside as if it were going to explode. The letter unrolled itself, short and to the point so she didn't have to read it twice. Even if there was no signature, Ty Lee knew who it was from. Her went wide and she put a hand to her lips, shocked. But before bursting into tears, she forced herself to a stand, inhaling a shaky breath. She _knew _that she shouldn't have read the letter, she _knew_!

"Ty Lee... What's wrong?" Chin asked.

"Are you okay?" Sun said.

"She... She's dying..." Ty Lee whispered.

"Who? Mai?"

"No..." Ty Lee fell to her knees and crumpled to the floor, her face in her hands. Chin and Sun flocked to her side, confused, but comforted her anyway. She sobbed and choked, throwing the letter away. But the words were there and written black with truth.


	4. Chapter 4

******The Noble Truth  
**_By Nikkel  
_(c) to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon Studios

* * *

Bright yellow flames swelled upon his face to the beat of his heart. The Fire Lord squinted through them to see the men on the platform below him, silhouettes of his fellow politicians, steeling an argument. He was to settle these disputes without violence, but he had to restrain himself from reducing them to ashes. Their loud voices bounced off the vaulted ceiling and ricocheted off the granite pillars of the chamber. Zuko reminded himself that at the next peace meeting, he needed to bring ear plugs.

"Fire Lord Zuko," said a man. He was dressed in forest-colored robes, his cream collar stiff against his neck.

"Minister Chow," the Fire Lord replied.

"Can you not _see _what is happening in Garsai?" he seethed. "_Your _soldiers have been stationed there for fifty years, and the war is over! Why don't you pull them out? What is the meaing of this? They have forced Earth Kingdom citizens to live in fear!"

"They are stationed there because they are making repairs," the Fire Lord answered, his hands laid out before him in a serene lotus position. "They have caused a lot of damage, and it is only right that they fix it as well."

"There are no more repairs to be made! And if you _are _paying for the damage, with what money? Your soldiers cannot work our jobs, Fire Lord."

"The same is for our navy!" shouted another man. He stepped up beside Minister Chow, garbed in heavy, sleeveless cerulean robes. His hair was braided and carried ivory beads. A pair of spectacles sat on his bumpy nose and a piece of parchment was clutched in his fist. He was Ambassador Kota of the Southern Water Tribe, having come to the Fire Nation Capital beneath the charge of Chief Hakoda.

"We may have crafted the fleet ourselves, but now our supplies are at a minimum! The invasion was a failure; we gained nothing but dead men. Our ships were obliterated – all our hard work blown to pieces!" he yelled.

Zuko turned away and pinched the bridge of his nose. They were _still _bringing up the invasion? He had thought that Aang had cleared the problems up with the Day of Black Sun. The blood pounded in his ears again and he wanted to shout that the invasion was not his concern, but restrained himself. The wall of flames flumed higher as his temper rose, but the _last _thing he wanted to do was blow up in their faces like the previous Fire Lord would have.

"I ask that you please understand that the Fire Nation has hit an economic low. The reconstruction of Ba Sing Se is taking away most of our finances, as well as the restoring the Hu Xin Provinces," the Fire Lord replied.

"And I ask that _you _understand that those are Earth Kingdom concerns," Kota growled, glaring at the Fire Lord, as if he were still the enemy. "The Earth Kingdom has always been more prosperous than the Water Tribes, Southern and Northern combined. _We _should be your top priority. The Earth Kingdom has more than enough to support themselves."

"_Our _country is recovering from widespread famine!" Chow cried, whirling on the ambassador. "It doesn't matter how much money we have when our people are starving!"

"Oh, you say that _now_? Mention Garsai and throw your petty tantrum!"

"Garsai has been under siege for at least half the war!"

"Well perhaps if you had put your finances toward the war eff - "

"_Enough_!" the Fire Lord shouted, the flames roaring tall as he came to a stand. "I won't have this kind of talk. General How, pull the troops out of Garsai and send them to the Southern Water Tribe. Have them assist with repairs. This meeting is over."

Minister Chow and Ambassador Kota took a step back as the fire burst in their faces. They bit their tongues and bowed, furious, but left without a word. The chamber was now silent, spare the crackling fire. Zuko raised a hand and extinguished the flames before him. He then walked out of the same door as the politicians had, but with considerable distance between them.

The setting sun streamed through the open windows, a soft wind fluttering the white curtains. The War Chamber – now renamed the "Peace Chamber" - had no windows and depressed Zuko. He enjoyed the sunlight, the sky, and the earth. He was more familiar with the wilderness than the echoing corridors and plush carpets. It was easy to imagine lying on his back in an open field, listening to the cicada-bees hum in the summer heat, but there was no such field in the Fire Nation. There were volcanoes, there were beaches, and there were jungles, but nothing could compare to the rolling meadows of the Earth Kingdom. He never thought he would miss it.

The scent of jasmine tea wafted down the hallway. There was only one man in the entire palace that would make a whole pot for himself. Zuko followed the aroma and pushed open a mahogany door, revealing an old man bathed in sunlight, harmless and peaceful.

"Sorry I'm late, uncle," Zuko said, sitting down at the Pai Sho game. Iroh didn't notice, thumbing his grizzled beard. He fingered a lily piece in his hand.

"Hmm... Now where am I to put you? Next to the dragon, where you may move forward and give me three points, or beside the knotwheel, where you and the rhododendron also give me three points? Which is the better spot for you?" Iroh mused.

"Why don't you use the lily piece to replace the chrysanthemum?" Zuko suggested.

"Why don't I use you to replace the chrysanthemum? That's a brilliant idea!" Iroh exclaimed with glee, as if a stroke of genius had hit him. He skipped the lily piece over to the chrysanthemum and replaced it, earning him a total of seven points. The great Dragon of the West took a self-congratulatory sip of tea and noticed his nephew over the rim of his cup.

"Good evening, Fire Lord," Iroh said in a sing-song voice.

"Don't call me that," Zuko snapped. "You shouldn't have to."

"Oh, but I do," Iroh said, shrugging. "But you will always be my nephew."

Iroh finished his game and set up a match between him and Zuko.

"What is on your mind?" Iroh asked.

"Too much," Zuko replied.

"May I ask when I am to see a royal wedding?"

Zuko's face turned beet red. Iroh chuckled and poured him a cup of tea.

"I'm afraid it's going to be no time soon," Zuko said, downcast. Iroh's eyebrows rose.

"Is there a necessary means as to why you are waiting?"

"I'm... not sure... Something just... doesn't feel right."

"Doesn't feel right?"

"Yeah..."

"You know, when I was a young man and met my fiancée, I married her as fast as I could. We were so in love, and we were so afraid to lose one another because of the war, we thought that marriage was the only way to seal our relationship. I was nervous, yes, but once I proposed I was a much happier man."

"I don't think it's something between Mai and me."

"Oh?"

"It's something... _more_."

"More?"

"When you and... your wife were married... did everyone attend the ceremony?"

"Of course!" Iroh grinned, but then realized that the only person in the family able to attend Zuko's wedding would be himself.

"I want to find her," Zuko whispered. "I want to find mom."

Iroh paused. He didn't know where Ursa disappeared to or why. He had done his best to find her, but all of the information he received was now dated and useless. Ursa was clever – Iroh discovered that she gave a false name to where she stayed, but left the White Lotus a small clue or two. Yes, she knew of the secret society, but why she never fled to their safety, Iroh would never know. They had unearthed evidence that she was wandering along the border of the Si Wong Desert about two years ago, but since then, everything had vanished. Ursa had found a way to erase herself off the face of the planet. Iroh liked to believe that she had found a secure hiding place. She also had a reason behind her actions, and he hoped that she was alive. He couldn't bear to tell her son that she was dead.

"I've been studying the scrolls you gave me," Zuko said.

"And did you find anything useful?"

"I think there's a pattern to them."

"A pattern, you say?"

"Yes. But something's missing."

"What do you suppose it could be? Another clue?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure."

"Have you asked your fath - "

"I have. He doesn't have any information, even when he acts like he does. He's just toying with me and I'm not going to believe anything he says," Zuko said.

"I do not believe she is dead. You and Ursa are very much alike. You both have a strong will," Iroh said. He had never looked for a pattern; he only collected the information as it came, thinking that what he received was in chronological order. But Zuko was thinking differently and saw all the clues as a puzzle. "And if it is not Ozai that is the missing piece, then who or what do you believe is?"

Zuko hesitated. Too many times did he wonder if he was crazy or participating in somebody's sick, twisted game... but the more and more he thought about it, the more and more it looked like a last resort. Did things really come to that? Was he so desperate to find information about his mother that he was willing to go to such extremes?

Yes... Yes, he was. But even when he knew the person, it would be impossible to retrieve the information out of her. For eight months, he had not gotten a single, coherent word from her. What difference would it make now?

"?" Zuko asked all at once.

Iroh choked on his tea. "What? Oh, about two months ago... Has she made any progress?"

"No... It's gotten worse. Much worse."

"How so?"

"She's..." Zuko's throat tightened. "I think... I think she's dying, uncle."

Iroh silently recalled his visit to the deranged, feral animal he called his niece, withering away in chains. Her sins had caused her demise. Iroh didn't like to think about feeling pity for Azula – in his eyes, she was the spitting image of her father. She deserved her punishment, just as her father did, but at the same time, realized that it wasn't right. Azula was still a child, a teenager, now lost and confused as Zuko had been two years ago. Therefore, Iroh decided not to intervene in Azula's fate. The way his nephew spoke, though, said different.

"And if she is... What do you plan on doing?" Iroh asked.

"I remember in Ba Sing Se that I had a fever. You treated me with special medicines. I want to do the same with Azula."

"What? Treat her with special medicines? Zuko..."

"It's not just the medicines, uncle. When I was having the fever, I had... visions. Nightmares. Things I didn't want to think about when I was well. If Azula could see and face those same things in her mind..."

"She could face reality again," Iroh finished and drank the last of his tea. "You want to induce this into Azula's mind?"

"Yes."

"Zuko." Iroh looked at him with firm, serious eyes. "The mind is a doorway to the soul. It is a dangerous and fragile place. Azula is no different. The slightest mishap could send her down the wrong way forever. If you are going to open up Azula's mind, then you _must _understand this. She may not turn out well. Her death could arrive earlier than expected. _You _would be the one responsible for that."

Zuko scooted himself back and kowtowed before his teacher.

"I want to learn," he whispered. "Teach me. Please."

Iroh raised a brow. There was no changing his nephew's mind, especially when he was as humble as he had ever been. He nodded and picked up the empty teapot.

"We are going to need more tea if we are going to learn about the true power of jasmine and its kin."


	5. Chapter 5

******The Noble Truth  
**_By Nikkel  
_(c) to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon Studios

* * *

Ty Lee stood at the front of the ship and gripped the iron railing. She could see the shore of the Fire Nation Capital, the white, stone houses and red rooftops rising in the distance. Of all the other times she had visited the capital, she had always been excited and eager to see her friends. Mai's letter was tucked in her belt. She hoped that Mai didn't mean what she said, or that she couldn't be as serious as she had sounded.

The ship docked in the harbor next to the rest of the Fire Nation fleet. Soldiers accompanied Ty Lee down the ramp, through the town, and onto the gondola that was used only by the nobles. The gondola climbed the volcanic slope, smelling of ash and old sulfur. She had been used to the earthy scent of the Earth Kingdom and had forgotten what the Fire Nation smelled like. She looked up to see the crimson palace, located in the center of the plaza. There was no trace of the damage that had been done the previous summer; in fact, the town looked just about as beautiful as ever. It was... _peaceful_.

The gondola landed. The soldiers continued to escort her to the inner workings of the royal palace. She felt like a foreigner, even though she was dressed in her old attire of pinks and reds. She remembered how she had once been fascinated by the magnificent palace corridors, and not to mention _power_. Walking beside the soldiers, she could still feel that power, but it was now latent. Ty Lee didn't have to ask herself why.

"Ty Lee?"

Someone passed by and she turned to see who it was. At first she didn't recognize him, his hair pulled back into a topknot and his long robes covering his body. But all she had to do was take one look at his face and know who he was.

"Zuko!" Ty Lee exclaimed and ran between the escorts to hug the Fire Lord without an ounce of formality or decent respect. The soldiers turned and lowered their spears at her back, prepared to attack if she harmed their leader.

"Ty... Lee..." Zuko struggled, her arms crushing his lungs.

"Huh? Oh, sorry!" She released him. She then noticed the spears pointed at her. "Um... Oops?"

"Lower your weapons. Ty Lee is an honored guest in my palace, and a very good friend," Zuko commanded, raising his hand.

"Yes, my lord," one of the soldiers replied, bowing. "We apologize for our rash behavior."

"You are excused," Zuko said. He turned to Ty Lee. "What are you doing here?"

"Mai didn't tell you? She wanted me to come," Ty Lee replied with a smile.

"But why? If there's a conflict with the Kyoshi Warriors, I can - "

"Oh no, they're fine. I'm actually an official one now, y'know."

"Really? That's great. But where's all your makeup and gear?"

"Back on the island... I didn't see the point in bringing them. It's not like I'm going on an adventure or anything."

"Uh-huh..." Zuko stared at her. "But... _Why_ are you _here_?"

"Mai said that I should come." Ty Lee looked away. "And I... wanted to see all my old friends. Y'know, before I go off on some dangerous Kyoshi Warrior quests."

Zuko blinked. He wondered if she knew... No, she couldn't have. It was a coincidence. He shrugged the thought off. "Anyways, follow me. Mai's in the courtyard."

Ty Lee followed him and found Mai sitting on a stone bench beneath one of the blooming cherry trees. She stared up at the pink flowers, as if questioning their meaning. She turned with a plain expression on her face, and then spotted the magenta-clad girl standing next to her boyfriend. Her eyebrows jumped. Ty Lee took this as her cue and ran across the lawn, squealing and throwing her arms around her best friend. It was a different hug than the one she had given Zuko, allowing Mai to breathe and pat her on the back in welcome.

"I'll leave you two alone now," Zuko muttered, and left.

Ty Lee held her breath and smoothed her skirt. Mai frowned, thinking to herself, and then sat back down on the bench.

"Zuko doesn't know that I know," Mai said.

"What?"

"He doesn't know that I know that..." Mai hesitated. "He doesn't know that I know that Azula's dying."

"Don't say that!" Ty Lee flinched at the name. "How could you _ever _say that?"

"Because it's the truth," Mai snapped. Her eyes were a fierce, bright yellow; the kind that most saw before she slit their throat.

"And how would _you _know?" Ty Lee snapped back, fists clenched and standing strong, despite the tears in her eyes. There was nothing to be afraid of anymore, even when Mai _did _give her those eyes.

"I've heard from Zuko that..."

"Oh, so you've been _guessing_?"

"It's not guessing when you know."

"Know what? There's a difference between someone getting better and dying, Mai! When you say someone is dying, you don't just _guess_!"

"Will you calm down? I'm not here to argue," Mai said, her hands clasped together in her sleeves, eyes now closed. Tears rolled down Ty Lee's cheeks. Mai waited for them to stop, and then, like an elder sister, she guided Ty Lee into the seat next to her.

"Listen," Mai said, her voice hard. "Zuko's been to see her every other week, and from the sound of it, she's getting worse, not better. Hearting the way he talks about her is evidence enough that she's losing her battle for recovery."

"But... it's only been eight months. She must've gotten a little better, right?" Ty Lee asked.

"It's been eight months and nothing positive has happened. I really don't think she's going to get better, Ty Lee."

"I really wish you wouldn't say that," Ty Lee sniffled and pulled her knees to her chest. "Isn't there anything we can do? Can't we go see her?"

"Not that I know of," Mai replied. "And you probably don't want to see her. Not the way she is."

"But I _want _to see her, Mai. I really do. If she's going to... to..."

"We don't even know if she is going to."

"But I thought you said..."

"I'm aware of what I said."

"So why can't we see her? She probably misses us..."

"In her mind, we're still traitors."

"Which is why we should go see her and apologize!"

"You're not getting what I'm saying," Mai seethed, the ferocity returning in her eyes. "It doesn't _matter _what we say to her, because she won't be able to understand us. She won't listen to us. She's been resisting treatment since she was admitted. Zuko's been trying to get her to talk for the past eight months. What difference are we?"

"Because we're her _friends_. We've _always _been there for her."

Mai's lips thinned. "Whether we're her friends or not, we can't do anything. By law, only her family is allowed to visit her. We don't have access."

"But you're the Fire Lord's girlfriend. That's gotta count for something."

"It doesn't."

"Oh."

"This conversation is depressing," Mai sighed. She tilted her head back to look up at the swaying, pink tree branches. "You joined the Kyoshi Warriors, didn't you? How's that coming along?"

"Okay," Ty Lee replied with a small smile.

"Let's go inside and talk. This sun is unbearable."

"I was wondering when you would say that," Ty Lee giggled. Mai had always hated the sun. Today was no different.


	6. Chapter 6

******The Noble Truth  
**_By Nikkel  
_(c) to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon Studios

* * *

_"Promise me that you will be careful," Iroh had said, a hand on his nephew's shoulder._

_ "I will be," Zuko had replied, embracing his uncle. He slung a bag over his shoulder and walked up the metal ramp of the ship, departing for the prison across the ocean once again._

The great Dragon of the West's amber eyes opened, the landscape before him having changed. When he had begun his meditation, the sun had been setting, and it wasn't until its warmth had vanished did he wake to find that night had taken over. The old man tilted his head up to the starry heavens. At the end of the summer, the stars would fall and birth a meteor shower. The thousands of shooting stars only came once a year to the Fire Nation, and Iroh had never missed it. He took it as a sign that the spirits were watching over.

That night, he hoped the spirits would watch over his nephew. Though Iroh had given strong advice to him, he didn't know how things would turn out. Zuko had promised that he wouldn't stray from what Iroh had told him to do, but Zuko was known for his impulsiveness. If he messed up in the slightest, Azula's recovery was impossible. Many times, Iroh had to drill this into Zuko's head. Azula's entire mental stability was at stake, and couldn't risk a collapse, lest she be broken beyond repair... Exactly what Zuko feared most.

What caused such feelings in Zuko, Iroh had yet to understand. Azula was the protege of Ozai in every way; the jealousy, the sociopathy, the lust for power... Iroh had noticed this in her before anyone else. And yet, even as he had watched her become just as evil as her father, both of them had suffered a similar fate: Ozai lost his ability to bend, and Azula had lost her mind. Both were punished for their wrongdoings as by himself, Zuko, and the wise Fire Sages. And yet, why was it that Zuko felt the need to reach out to Azula and help her? Iroh felt no remorse for Ozai, _his _younger sibling. If anything, Zuko should feel the same.

Iroh's belly rumbled and he placed a large hand upon it, chuckling to himself. He should have known that it was suppertime. He stood up and flattened his clothes clean, walking into the dining hall, where he found Mai and Ty Lee already sitting at the table. Zuko's chair of gold arches and crimson upholstery was empty. On the other end of the table was Mai, who had taken the chair of the Fire Lady. Mai's lips were thin, her fingernails tapping on the wooden armrest. Diner was already in front of them on cedar platters: juicy, imported boar-q-pine from the Earth Kingdom served with various side dishes of rice, noodles, curry, and stir fry. It was the kind of meal made for royalty every night, but tonight, the food sat waiting for the arrival of the Fire Lord.

"Where _is _he?" Mai growled. To her knowledge, Zuko had not planned any peace meetings that day, and she could only _guess _the reason. She knew that he had departed on his regular trip to the prison, but he normally returned an hour before sundown. Though the spring days were stretching into summer, it didn't give him an excuse to stay longer. Unless...

"Maybe he's not eating tonight," Ty Lee spoke up.

"I'm saying he hasn't even come _home _yet," Mai replied.

"Oh."

"If he was going to be this late, he could have at least sent a messenger-hawk. Otherwise, we're wasting our time waiting for him."

"I wonder what's taking him so long."

"As do I."

"Do you think..."

"I'm not going to think, I'm going to eat. If he's not here, it's his fault."

Mai pulled the food towards her and made her plate. Ty Lee and Iroh did likewise, and soon the table of three were dining in silence, spare the sound of clicking chopsticks. Iroh waited until they had eaten their fills and leaned back in their seats.

"So, Mai," Ty Lee said, breaking the silence. "Have you heard of that new silk fashion going around? Rumor has it the trend started in Omashu – I mean New Ozai... or was it New Ursa? Or maybe it was Omashu, or New Ozai... Um..."

"Just call it Omashu. Changing its name was a stupid idea," Mai replied.

"Excuse me, Ty Lee, if I may interrupt?" Iroh said. Ty Lee leaned back in her seat and nodded at him. Iroh looked directly at Mai. "Zuko has gone on a three-day trip to the prison."

Mai frowned.

"_What_?" she snapped. "_Why_?"

"He believes that he knows a way to cure Azula, and is willing to see his idea follow through."

"A _cure_?" Ty Lee said. "You mean, like, a special medicine or something?"

"Not entirely. He plans on –"

"It doesn't _matter_ what he's doing," Mai snarled, standing up. "He's the Fire Lord. He can do whatever he wants. If he's going to be wasting his time there, let him."

Mai stormed to her room, not bothering to stay in Zuko's quarters and wait for him to return. There would be no point to it, that night, for he wouldn't be coming home. How was it that he could stay at the prison for three days, "curing" a monster, and not let her know about it? Was it because she was untrustworthy, or that he thought that she would have tried to stop him? Fuming, she locked the door behind her, longing to yell and let her anger out on him. But, he wasn't around, so Mai shook her head and tried to free herself from her feelings of rage. It would do her no good to throw a fit.

"But dear _Agni_!"

She stood at the foot of the bed, throwing her hands in the air, waiting for some message above to answer her cry. She didn't expect one, and fell back onto her charcoal bedspread.

It wasn't right. He could have _at least_ left a note. Was it because he was a coward? What made Zuko believe that she wouldn't have understood him? They had been together for over a year. Mai was his childhood friend, and in due time, his Fire Lady...

But maybe it was _because _of these things that he thought her untrustworthy – they both knew that Azula was a horrible person, someone who deserved punishment. How could Zuko feel sympathy for the _witch_ that had chased him across the world, just to get her father's praise? Though she had joined Azula in the mission, it was only because of boredom. She had never wanted to hurt Zuko. It was always Azula threatening to kill in every attack, Zuko or not. The term "monster" fitted Azula perfectly.

"Oh, Zuko..." Mai sighed. "Why can't you ever tell me what you're doing?"

She knew she wouldn't sleep tonight.

Many miles away from the Fire Nation Capital, on a secluded island in the middle of the ocean, Zuko placed his hand on the iron door of Azula's cell. He had ordered the guards to leave their posts and not return until he said so, a bag of supplies slung over his shoulder. He didn't dare look through the window – he knew that it would only keep him outside longer. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and pushed the door open.

Chains rattled. Zuko paused. Azula was hunched over, weighed down by her obsidian shackles. The weight, though, did not keep her from glaring with fiery eyes at him, glowering above the leather muzzle strapped to her jaw.

He took a step forward and she jumped back, as if she were expecting him to attack. Zuko lowered his eyes to the floor. Making eye contact would only alarm her and make her think she was being threatened. He raised his hands, palms showing, to prove that he meant her no harm. He didn't know if she understood him or not. He turned his back and closed the door behind him, cloaking them in complete darkness, save the light from the window in the door.

Working by what little light he had, Zuko opened his bag. Azula flinched, but watched him, stalking him as a dragon would. Zuko unpacked a lavender blanket, candles, incense, and parchment paper that was already written on. Azula made some sort of grunting noise between a grunt and a spit. He remained silent.

He laid out the lavender blanket and set the candles on each corner. He pinched the wicks and a tiny flame popped up. He knew that Azula was watching the fire. Her restraints kept her from bending, afterall. She leaned forward, chains clanking against the bars as she gripped them with her hands. She tried to stretch one hand out and grab the flame, but her shackles kept her back. She snarled in frustration, trying to reach out again, only to fail. Azula yanked on the bars and then fell backwards, growling. She turned her back on him.

Standing up, Zuko saw that he had prepared the room exactly as his uncle had told him to – dark and jasmine-scented, but not overwhelming. He set a pre-made pot of tea near her cage, enough so she could reach it. He poked his hand between the bars, placing down a cup for the tea. Azula didn't move.

Empty bag slung over his shoulder, Zuko headed for the door. "I'll see you in three days."


	7. Chapter 7

******The Noble Truth  
**_By Nikkel  
_(c) to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon Studios

* * *

_Darkness._

_ It was everywhere. Strange, glowing orange bulbs of light hovered midair, suspended by nothing, illuminating on their own. They would jump or grow, but always fell back to the way they were, bound in place. They would draw close, close enough to touch, but never close enough to grab. The lights had a soft, reddish aura, protecting the austere, white core, emanating a heavy, toxic aroma. The poison spread throughout the room, pushing into every crevice and diving into every hole. It was so strong that it was enough to erase any other smells that were already present._

_ And, one by one, the little lights started to go out, the darkness and fumes swallowing all that existed..._

She was in pain.

Excruciating, horrible _pain._ It felt as if her wrists were being sliced from top to bottom, the blade resting on her bones. The feeling seared all the way up her arms, flooding her veins, piercing her heart, and then circulating around the rest of her body. Cold iron pressed against her cheek in a small, square pattern, and she could taste her own blood, leaking inside her mouth. Lying on her side, she spat and coughed, her stomach screaming.

She cracked her eyes open, blurry vision seeing obscure outlines. She could see colors – red, especially. There was a lot of red... But there was another color, blue. Squinting, it was more blue-white. Instinct told her to move, to get up and fight, and she would have if she were not chained to a sewer grate.

Azula raged like an angry dragon, thrashing against her chains, roaring with fury from the depths of her chest, rattling the grate and shaking it with a horrendous thunder. Wolfish snarls and demonic growls burst out of her mouth when she wasn't screaming, tearing her vocal cords. The shackles on her wrists glowed white from her anger, absorbing her firebending, burning her in the process. She kicked and struggled against her restraints, rolling on the grate, willing to break her own bones to get free. But she was tied down like an animal... and she would be _no one's _prisoner.

_"I have a task for you..."_

Her head snapped into place, wet hair falling in front of her eyes. Her jaw clenched, ready to scream at the man at the far end of the plaza. She would incinerate him, torture him, _obliterate _him. She would breathe fire from her mouth and reduce him to ashes. But the fire stayed in her chest, watching his approach, his blood-colored robes swinging at his heels. He laughed at her.. at her _failure_.

_"You... You can't treat me like this!" _she shouted, but the voice that came from her mouth was that of a child's. _"You can't treat me like Zuko!"_

_ "You're a true prodigy,"_ the Fire Lord remarked. He ignored her situation, a sinister grin stretching on his skeletal face. Shadows hung beneath his black and soulless eyes. He passed through the raging fires and puddles of water, robes swishing. _"Just like your grandfather for whom you're named."_

Azulon. She remembered Azulon. Her grandfather...

_And last night, Grandpa passed away._

She hadn't said it, but the words echoed around her as if she had. Azulon was dead. But now the Fire Lord was speaking to her. _She _was going to die.

_"But I deserve to be by your side!"_ she snarled at him.

_"Azula!" _the Fire Lord's voice went cold... It was a tone he would use when punishing her, and she had convinced herself not to fear it, but this time, she trembled. His shadow spilled over her, the darkness closing in. His fists clenched, radiating orange, sparkling with fire. Azula was paralyzed, for there could be only _one thing _that came next...

"_You __**will **__learn respect,"_ the Fire Lord seethed. _"And __**suffering**__ will be your teacher..."_

She screamed.

But the blow never came... Only darkness...

Yet, within the darkness, there was blue. Blue flames. _Her _flames. _Her _fire.

She had been spared from the Fire Lord's wrath. Azula found herself curled up on the wide, plump cushion of the Fire Lord's throne. She shivered, as if drenched in icy sewer water, but was completely dry. Her skin was smooth as porcelain. She was defenseless, wearing nothing but a robe. She ran a hand through her hair – it was perfect, charcoal locks pooling down her shoulders and back, no longer matted. Her wrists were not bloody or shackled. It was as if everything that had just happened... _didn't happen_. She sighed in relief... Maybe things would be okay...

_"You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you."_

_**Mai!**_

_"Fear is the only reliable way!"_

Azula jumped, the room spinning with shadows and blue fire, her eyes locking with the traitor that had spoken. But all she saw were two old women on their knees. They were her advisers... She couldn't remember their names.

_"Azula! We heard what happened. Why have you banished all your servants? All your Dai Li agents? And the Imperial Firebenders?"_ they asked in unison. Azula twitched. She retreated, her back against the obsidian pillar of the Fire Lord's throne. She could have _sworn _that she had _seen _and _heard _Mai... She had been standing where the two old women were, her face full of that foolish justice and hope. But there was no Mai, only the twins, their wrinkled faces watching Azula, waiting for an answer.

_"Trust is for fools..." _Azula muttered... It was manta she had learned to repeat her entire life.

_"But the truth is, I'm happy here. I mean, my aura has never been pinker!" _ Ty Lee exclaimed, jumping out from behind the twins.

_"Ty Lee, get over here now!" _Azula snapped, jerking forward to attack, but Ty Lee vanished... just like Mai. Azula ducked her head and scowled. _"Sooner or later, they __**all **__would have betrayed me."_

Lo and Li stared at her with vacant expressions. They were now made of stone. Azula kept waiting for one of them to transform into Mai or Ty Lee, but nothing happened. Azula's head pounded, her arms shaking, and as if her chest was being crushed, but nothing as there. She wanted to fall to the ground, but her legs were also made of stone, keeping her upright. It hurt. Everything _hurt_.

_"Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure."_

Azula cringed, hearing _his _voice again. He was back... The Fire Lord... No, _her father_...

_"Yes... Yes, you're right, Azula," _Ozai crowed. _"We need to destroy their hope."_

He was talking about Ba Sing Se. Burning it to the ground. The invasion. Zuko. More traitors. But he kept coming closer, eyes full of malice, features concealed in shadows. Was he going to hurt her like... like Zuko?

_Like Zuko..._

_ "You **will **learn respect," _her father snarled, walking up the steps to the throne. This time, Azula did not freeze. She took action, throwing herself at him. She would not fear her father. She knew his moves. He was the one that taught her how to bend lightning. They had sparred together and were at matched strengths, and she had beaten him more than once. She knew she could take him.

_"And **suffering **will be your teacher!"_

Before Azula could make out a single move, a boulder-sized fireball hurtled towards her like a wild comet. She choked, twin swords wrapping around her throat, pulling her backwards into a pit of blue fire. Her father was above her, watching her fall into the cerulean inferno, leaving her to die.

But this time, when she looked up, it was not her father... It was _Zuko_...

What was slow motion suddenly sped up all at once. Images, scenes, experiences, people, voices, commands, fights, purposes, lies, emotions, dreams, and memories flew before her like lightning, zipping into every corner of her mind, seeking out the darkest, most forgotten memories to exploit, forcing her to watch, the swords still at her throat. There was the Avatar and his friends, battling her beneath Ba Sing Se. there was Mai and her family bowing down to her in Omashu, where she sat on the throne and renamed it New Ozai. There was her father on _his throne_, sitting beside her, glancing sideways and smirking like a snake. There was Suki and the Kyoshi warriors, fighting amongst the flames with their fans and painted faces. There was Ty Lee when they were younger, flipping through the air, and Azula shoved her down at the landing. There was Zuko at the Western Air Temple, standing on an adjacent airship, waiting to challenge her and steal the throne for himself. There was her mother and –

_Nothing_.

The twin broadswords landed with a cloud clang on either side of her. She was keeled over on her hands and knees. Everything came to a halt, silencing all that there was. Zuko's Blue Spirit mask lie face up before her... It was the one he had received as a birthday gift from their uncle. Azula remembered it because she used to steal it from his room and scare him with it in the middle of the night. She touched the mask with her finger, gracing the ivory dimple, when an icy wind blasted her like a thousand needles.

The wind didn't last long, though. A breeze fluttered in with a soft whistling noise... The room was now a long, dark hallway. The window at the end was open without a window pane. The white curtains rustled in the dark as they would on any other night. A crescent moon hung in the sky. Azula's gaze followed a long, mysterious shadow on the crimson rug.

It was herself, or so it seemed. The black hair, the gold eyes, the feminine figure... All concealed beneath a crimson cloak with the hood up. Aged eyes gazed back at her... Motherly eyes.

Azula rose, cautious.

_"Mom?" _Her voice was a little girl's again. She was dressed as a little girl, too. She swallowed, licked her lips, and then croaked... _"Why?"_

Ursa stared.

_"Why... Why didn't you say goodbye to me?"_

She remembered being up late that night, throwing embers at the guards, when she had seen her mother moving about. Azula had tailed her, following her in the shadows into Zuko's room, where she woke him up to say goodbye. Ursa was going to leave without her.

_"It's because I'm a monster, isn't it?"_

Ursa was quiet. Her face did not soften at her daughter's words. She only stared more. Azula clenched her fists, face flushing with frustration.

_"Why won't you say anything? Why won't you answer me?"_

_ "I love you, Azula," _Ursa said, approaching her. She went down on a knee and embraced her, pulling her to her chest, her heart. _"I do."_

Azula flinched and tried to pull away. Something inside told her it was a lie – her mother didn't love her. She _knew _it. Her mother didn't _care _about leaving her behind. Azula's gut clenched and she burst into hysterical tears, clutching her mother's robes. Ursa held her in silence.

Ursa stood up. She had to leave. Azula reached out for her, but she had already started walking away.

_"Wait!" _Azula cried. Ursa paused and turned, the moonlight illuminating one half of her face.

_"Why..." _Azula whimpered. _"Why... Where... Where are you going?"_

Ursa's lips moved, but no sound came from them. Her mother turned and jumped out of the window. Azula ran to the sill and looked down onto the rocky shore below the palace. She didn't see her mother anywhere. She had... _vanished_.

_"Come back!"_

The darkness came rushing back at her, swooping in through the window and tossing her onto her back. Azula was spinning again, voices and memories wrapping her in a spiraling vortex. The pain returned and the tornado winds sucked the breath right out of her. She hurtled through an abyss of her own experiences once again – from when she was stooped at her father's throne and accepting the mission to hunt down Zuko, to when she was staying at Ember Island with her friends. Those used to be good memories, days of glory and pride, but now they were humiliating. She was a fool to believe that she had trusted them.

Pain rippled through her again, her knees buckling. She fell on the sewer grate of the Fire Nation plaza again. Her wrists were back in chains, shackled to the grate. But this time, she didn't thrash or fight for her freedom. Her hands were tied behind her back, her clothes soaked in sewer water, and her tears fell in silence down her cheeks. She had to accept her failure... Accept her _punishment_. She could hear her father's footsteps again walking through the flames and water, ready to kill her.

And she would let him.

_"You **will **learn respect..." _her father said again for the final time. But when she looked up, it was not her father, brother, _or _mother... but _Katara_, the Water Tribe peasant that had chained her down in the first place. She held her water whip beside her, mixed with Azula's blood, and slashed it across Azula's face.

_**"And suffering will be your teacher!"**_

_Azula woke in her cell and screamed. Her heart beat and she convulsed, unable to control her own body. Her spirit was... awakening. For years, she had suppressed it, keeping it from effecting her thoughts and emotions – but now there was nothing to hold it back. All of her reasons, all of her lies were ripped to pieces, so all that was left was her bare, naked soul, stripped down to the truth._

* * *

**Author's Note: **End of the second round of editing. More in progress!


	8. Chapter 8

W e e ! Update!

Good news is that I have more chapters on the way.

Bad news is that both my beta and I are uber busy like squirrels in mating season.

Enjoy!

The hours passed as the broken dragon lay knocked-out on the hard, stone floor, chest steadily rising and falling with shallow breaths. The rapid convulsions and shudders had subsided, allowing Azula rest. She was absolutely exhausted, asleep once again. This time, however, she was given a quiet, peaceful sleep, as the nightmares did not plague her. Occasionally her arm or finger twitched, but they were only muscle spasms. It was as if she was in another one of her catatonic comas that would occur after one of her "episodes". Nothing seemed to disturb her.

Azula suddenly shot up, yellow eyes wide, wild. She jerked her head around, demanding to know at that _exact _moment where she was and what was going on. She reeled to a stand, when pain ricocheted from her toes to her knees, causing her to fall, hands launching out and protecting her. She ended up falling on her side, groaning, and clutching her ribs. Why was it that she was in such agony right now? She had never felt this way before. Her wrists were on fire, and yet no flames came from her fingertips. She felt her own skin, wincing at the soft, tender flesh, riddled with blisters and wounds. But something seemed… _different_. It was true that her bones and joints still ached, but they no longer felt… _heavy_.

She was no longer in chains.

The realization made Azula sit up again, clutching her side with one hand, and then skeptically examining the other. There was an ache in her jaw, but no leather mask. How had it come off? And how long had she been…?

An undeniable thirst suddenly hit the prisoner, replacing her pain. She needed water, liquid sustenance, _anything _to quench her thick tongue and dry gums. She scrambled throughout her cell, and found nothing that she could drink. Eyes flashing in the dim light, she whirled to the items that lie beyond the bars of her cage, and appeared as if she could reach them. She crawled on her knees to the edges, stretched an unchained hand between the iron garters, fingertips gracing against the metal teapot. It was just out of her reach. Indignantly, she stretched so that her shoulder could almost fit between the bars, and with a scratching noise on the floor, the teapot gravitated toward her. Greedily she brought it to her mouth, though it couldn't fit through the bars. But she needed it. Azula tipped the teapot the best she could into her mouth, savoring the tepid beverage.

Azula broke into a coughing fit, and threw the teapot away. It wasn't water, but tea. It perfumed her entire mouth and practically made her sick. Who dare had the idea to mess with her like that? She glared at the teapot, which lay on the other side of the room, when she noticed two silhouettes of legs on either side of the pot. She followed the shadows, finding that they connected to a waist, and then lead up to regal-looking shoulders, and finally a head that featured a face. And on that face, in the low light, was a most horrible scar.

"_You_!" She spat, pulling herself up, and clutching the bars as if she could break them and use them as a weapon. "You… you…"

"I'm glad to see that you can speak again."

Azula twitched and twisted at the sound of his voice, recoiling with contempt. But she forced herself to look into those bewitching, mysterious yellow eyes behind locks of hair, shadowing his features.

"Is _that _what you've been waiting for this entire time?" She hissed in a voice that dripped venom, glaring at him, refusing to back down from his challenge. "_Brother_?"

"Yes. It is." Zuko replied, remaining calm, monotone. "We could talk about things now, if you like."

"How about we talk about getting me out of here?" Azula glowered. "Because you're the one that took the chains off, aren't you? So why don't you let me out, and _then _we can talk…?"

"How about you tell me where mother is?" Zuko shot back. He wasn't going to play into Azula's games, for he now could see her every move.

"_Agni_!" Azula shouted, leaping off the bars as if they had burned her, spasmodically turning away. It felt as if a sword had jabbed in her the chest and had been given a turn, wrenching her insides. "How… how _dare _you mention her! How _dare you_! That woman is a traitor, a witch! She was a traitor and banished, and it should remain that way!"

Zuko remained still. He lowered his head and felt a pang of guilt. He wished that he hadn't jumped to such a sensitive subject. He listened as Azula, his little sister, cursed out their mother. But with every word she spat and each insult she snarled, Zuko could see the pain it brought her. She physically cringed, hunched over, shouting so loudly that her voice was nearly hoarse, her shrieks bouncing off the stone walls of the cell. Zuko watched as she also paced her side of the room, slamming her fist against the walls in anger. It seemed to be no different than her other fits, and mirrored the ones he had witnessed when she was first imprisoned. Unlike before, she was now able to shout out sentences and full curses, not erratically speak words, pause, and then switch to an entirely different swear. She also did not smash her face against the bars and try to claw at him like a furious hog-monkey in a trap. Instead she walked within the confines of her cage, screamed out her rage, and then collapsed to her knees, spent.

Quietly, the Fire Lord got up off of the bench and shuffled his way next to Azula, kneeling down next to her. Before he spoke he saw a tear or two slip down her cheek and puddle on the floor, her bedraggled bangs covering up the top half of her face. He knew it pained her. He respectfully lowered his gaze, and had the urge to reach his own hand between the bars and hold hers, for comfort's sake. But he could not, for he feared being bitten.

"I'm sorry." Zuko whispered. He felt Azula's glare, and also felt it leave. She grunted and turned her back on him, pulling her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"Dumb-dumb. You don't know _anything_."

"I can help you Azula. I've been waiting eight months for you."

"Eight months?" Azula shifted, repeating him. "I've been in here for _eight months_?"

"…Yeah…" Zuko ducked his head reluctantly. "Eight months, Azula."

Azula shut her eyes tight in concentration. She tried to remember what she had done in that time, but her mind was so scattered and in pieces that she couldn't put together what had happened. It was as if she had amnesia, but she had still been subtly aware that she was in jail, for she had been aware of when the leather mask was no longer around her jaw or the chains on her wrists. What still confused her was that she had been rationally thinking, or if she had thought rationally at _all_. It was all a blurry mess of vague images and voices that she couldn't clear.

Zuko watched her in silence. How much did she remember? Though he had performed the jasmine ceremony as Iroh had taught him, he feared that Azula hadn't completely absorbed its effects. It was possible that there were still holes in her memory. He decided not to press on the matter—it was either that Azula was either missing parts of her memory, or they were buried, hidden deep in the seas of her mind. The ceremony had had the possibility of waking these obscure memories, but Zuko could not see what they were. The only information he had was Azula's behavior and responses, which remained cold, sarcastic, and envious. Though she possessed traits of her former self, before her breakdown, the patterns of these emotions were horrendously erratic, and made her completely unpredictable. Zuko treaded lightly now on what he chose to talk about, for it was as if he were walking on hot lava plates.

"I know what it's like to lose your honor." He said quietly, compassionately. "You spend all your time on a single goal and ignore the world around you. It's painful, but I think that if you have someone to guide you down the right path, everything turns out okay. All you have to do is keep hope—"

"_Liar_!" Azula snarled, jolting to her feet. "This isn't about your damn honor!"

"You're right." Zuko said seriously. "It's about yours."

"I still have my honor." She growled bitterly.

"Do you?" Zuko questioned, rising to his feet, growing impatient. He knew it was best of him to control his temper, for arguing would have gotten them nowhere. But Azula refused to listen, so she would have to be forced. He would have to tell her the blunt truth of her existence. "Do you?! Stuck in this dingy cell, locked in chains, and wearing a _muzzle_, for Agni's sake! It's like you're a wild hog-monkey. When was the last time you went outside and had a _normal _day? You even refuse the treatment I'm offering you; look at yourself, you can't even stand on your own two feet!"

"…Up…"

"What?" Zuko paused. Azula had spoken from the farthest corner of her cell. She didn't turn around.

"I said shut up, Zuzu. Nobody wants to hear you talk."

"But…" He licked his lips, mind racing to think of something to help his situation. "But you see what I mean, don't you? Regaining your honor can't be done in a place like… _this_. It comes through things like love and strength and courage. Do things like those mean anything to you?"

"Then _what _do you plan to do?" Azula growled.

"I plan on getting you out of prison. But only under certain circumstances."

"_Really_?" Azula turned with interest. "I'm listening…"

"Mother."

Azula froze.

"_No_."

"You don't have a choice. Because I'm making the decisions here, and you need a lot of rest before anything happens," Zuko said firmly.

"You don't deserve to make the decisions!" Azula snarled, and reeled herself at the cage bars again, looking as if she were going to go into another hysterical episode. "_Your _choices are always wrong! Your plans always fail! I'd rather stay here and _rot _then join you in the useless quest for a traitor!"

"The boat back to the Fire Nation is coming tomorrow, and you're _going _to be on it, like it or not." Zuko cut in, opening the cell door, preparing to leave. He looked over his shoulder. "You should drink the tea. It'll be good for you."

Reaching down at her feet, Azula picked up the teapot and chucked it at the back of the door when he left, splattering jasmine tea all over the floor.

.:..:..:.

The Fire Lord could not sleep that night.

He laid on his back, awake in bed, the gentle moonlight filtering into the room. Unlike the prison cells throughout the penitentiary, his quarters were clean and comfortable. Dragon-goose feathered pillows adorned the light, silky blankets and royal Fire Nation tapestries hung down from the walls. The room had standard features, which suited him well, but there was not enough comfort in the world to make him close his eyes and drift into dreamland. He could only lie awake with one, single thought in his mind:

Did he make the right choice?

Perhaps it had been Azula's fate to die in prison. But now he had intervened, and planned on taking action. How moral was it of him to do that? He quietly longed for the reassurance of his fiancé, his lover, Mai. He felt terrible for not telling her what he was doing. But Mai didn't trust Azula—she became angry and distant when he would talk about her—and Zuko couldn't take her into account. She would have tried to convince him that Azula was hopeless, as she and the rest of the world seemed to think. He knew that she was just looking out for him, for he was known for his rash nature. The least he could have done was left a note for her, not left his uncle to be the messenger.

Zuko's messenger-hawk, Xerxes, stirred, his feathers brushing noisily against the cage. Zuko sat up, looking with curiosity at the bird. A thought had occurred to him, and he stood up from his bed and sat down at the desk given to him. He pinched the wick of a small candle, allowing him light. Rummaging through the desk drawers, he managed to find parchment paper, a brush, and ink to write with. Dipping the buffalo-horse hair tip into the ink, he began to write to the one person he believed would understand the goodness he was trying to instill into his sister. His calligraphy was sloppy, and hopefully legible, for he needed the message to get through.

"_Dear Aang_…"

The Fire Lord leaned back in his chair before he had even written a complete sentence. What was he supposed to tell the Avatar, the peacekeeper of the world, that he was planning on releasing one of the Fire Nation's most dangerous criminals? And all so they could track down their long-lost mother? Of whom Zuko had no idea of her whereabouts until he discovered the last clue? It was possible that his decision had been wrong, that as much as Azula suffered, she didn't deserve redemption. But letting her rot went against his philosophy; she was also a significantly different case than his father. Ozai had been cruel and ruthless all of his life—the same could have been said for Azula, but Zuko had realized with the many months that had passed that Azula had had no choice in being a natural prodigy. If she had been treated with kindness, things may have turned out differently. Their mother had tried, and Zuko felt compelled to help her wish of a nice, loving daughter come true. Though, he regretfully admitted to himself that there had been many times that he had hated Azula and wished her dead. It was still difficult to keep his temper under control when he was around her. But he was going to go through with the process, and thus he sat, brush in hand, staring at the heading to the Avatar he had written.

Aang was going to need an explanation. Zuko could already imagine the shocked look on the Avatar's face. Sokka would firmly say no, and Katara would probably be so outraged with him that she would have walked away the moment Aang read the letter. It had been she that had placed Azula behind bars—what logical sense did it make that she would want to release her? Unlike Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, or Iroh, Katara had known Azula the most for her wickedness. Katara would have no sympathy for her. She had no reason to.

Apparently, writing to the Avatar about what he was doing was beginning to feel like he was asking _permission _to help Azula. But he forced himself to wet his brush, consider a couple of sentences and make an _attempt _to explain himself, and then hope that he was doing the right thing.

Because even if he believed in redemption, he didn't know what he would do if he permanently corrupted Azula's fate and ended her life. He would never be able to forgive himself.

_"Dear Aang…"_

PS--Did I keep Zuko in-character before the break, when he decided that Azula would be leaving the following day? I don't know, I guess it just felt a little awkward (to me). What do you think?


	9. Chapter 9

U r g h . No, I'm not losing my inspiration here, or coming to a road block. Trust me on that. I'm just tired. But hey, I updated, and it makes me happy, so that should make you happy too. Sweetness. I also don't know if I like FF's update... I'm kinda in the middle about it though. Some things I like, some things I don't.

* * *

Humming softly to herself, Ty Lee watched the sun set on the ocean's waters. Her legs hung lazily on either side of a marble dragon statue situated in front of the Royal Palace. She and Mai were awaiting the returning arrival of the Fire Lord. While Ty Lee tried out different sitting positions and happily entertained herself, Mai scowled and pruned the horizon for any sign of her fiancé's ship.

"He better have a good reason for being gone so long," she glowered.

"Iroh said that he was gonna help Azula, remember?" Ty Lee said cheerfully, managing to stand on her hands on the highest part of the statue. "I think that's a good reason."

"The only way he can possibly help her is put her out of her misery."

"_Mai_!"

"It's true, though." Mai sighed, relaxing, if only for a moment. "You and I both knew that Azula was dying. Putting her down would have been the best choice. It'd put her out of her suffering."

"But…" Ty Lee slid off the dragon, fighting back the urge to cry if Mai had predicted what Zuko had done. "But I thought that there were other ways to help her? Suki always said that the best medicine was life, laughter, and love. Friends were the source of all these things, like you an—"

"Do you really think that we'd have been of any use to her other than punching bags?" Mai interrupted. Ty Lee bit her lip, wishing she could take back her words. She hadn't meant to offend Mai, but it appeared as if she did, for Mai looked away at the sea's horizon again.

Like a black narwhal-shark's fin, the obsidian steel ship sliced through the shimmering waters, rapidly approaching the Fire Nation capital. Mai's eyes narrowed at the sight of it, ready to hurtle questions at her fiancé the moment they docked. She had held her tongue for three days, and it was time she let her fire loose. She swiftly turned away and walked down the palace's staircase.

"Hey!" Ty Lee exclaimed, and chased after her friend. "Where are you going?"

"Where else?" Mai snapped, refusing to look at her. "The docks."

"Well… you shouldn't go."

Mai paused, blinking once. For all the years she had known Ty Lee, she had never heard her speak up or object to anything she and Azula had done. Why the sudden change?"

"I mean… like…" Ty Lee had thought, but she cast it out of her mind. Whatever she said, she doubted that Mai would listen, because Mai had every right to be angry with Zuko. Caught in her own head, she figured it best to stay quiet, and not mention anything at all.

"Is that it?" Mai sighed. Ty Lee reluctantly nodded, and Mai excused herself down the steps. This time, though, Ty Lee did not follow. It confused Mai as to why Ty Lee would want to prevent her from seeing the Fire Lord. Was she trying to delay something? While she had spent her time at the capital, had she formed some sort of deal with Zuko concerning Azula? But no, Mai rationalized, Ty Lee was as childish as they came, and wouldn't have had the skill to keep her mouth shut. She certainly was no actress, either, for their past excursion in Ba Sing Se had proven to Mai that Ty Lee couldn't put on a face that wasn't her own. In addition, it was originally her, Mai, that had invited Ty Lee to the capital. It wouldn't make sense for her to arrive and congregate about something she scarcely knew about.

"Are you coming?" Mai stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked up. Ty Lee had been watching her, and hadn't moved from her spot.

"Huh?" Ty Lee said, snapping out of a daze.

"Are you coming?" Mai repeated, deadpan.

"Oh yeah!" Ty Lee grinned and skipped down the stairs, returning to her normal, cheerful demeanor. Mai raised an eyebrow in speculation, and Ty Lee chirped with an innocent "What?", but Mai did not reply.

The two women rounded the inner circle of the capital and stepped onto the imperial gondola; the same one Ty Lee had ridden when she had arrived. The gondola did not simply travel up and down the volcano, but by a system of wires and levers, had the ability to change course and move in another direction, like a train switching tracks. The royal dock was close to the volcano, closer than the public harbor, and swerved inward with ocean waters like a small inlet. On shore, steep cliffs cut off local people from visiting the private wharf. Offshore and located at the mouth of the bay, high-class firebenders stood on outcropped platforms of rock that had once been geysers. The volcano was no longer active, and so the geysers no longer went off; instead, if there seemed to be some sort of emergency, a man could firebend into a lava chute and send up a large pillar of fire. This use would undoubtedly frighten away any navy that came near.

The gondola landed in a clear meadow several hundred yards away from the harbor. Five guards surrounded the small field, wary of the gondola.

"State your business, please. You have entered a restricted area." A soldier spoke as the gondola landed several hundred yards away from the harbor, in a clear meadow of green grass and solid ground. The wooden doors slid open, revealing a plain-faced Mai. She listened to the man speak, her expression like that of stone; unchanging.

"I'm here to see the Fire Lord." She said shortly, voice tested with impatience.

"I'm sorry, but Fire Lord Zuko has requested to keep the port closed to all outsiders, local and foreign," another soldier said, and stepped up beside the first.

"I am the Fire Lord's fiancé and future Fire Lady. I'm certain that grants me access."

"It does not, malady. However, if you would like to wait for the arrival of Master Iroh and have him allow you in, you are welcome."

"I don't want to wait for—"

"_Just say yes,_" Ty Lee whispered in her year, yanking her sleeve. "_I have an idea_."

"Fine." Mai cleared her throat, addressing the two soldiers. "We'll wait for Iroh. Just show us where to stay."

"Yes ma'am," the soldiers said in unison, bowing, and then turned their backs and implied for the women to follow. A temporary tent had been set up amongst a grove of trees, troops carrying messages in and out and minding their own business.

"_What's your plan_?" Mai whispered. "_And it better be a good one!"_

"_Ssh_!" Ty Lee shushed and elbowed her in the ribs. "_I can't tell you right now, wait until we sit down!_"

The tent was apparently larger than it looked. Various picnic tables had been set up, along with a wooden counter that featured various plates of food. It resembled a mess hall, soldiers congregating around tables and waiting until they were called back to work. The man seated them at a free table that was away from the other soldiers to give them a little privacy.

"I'll call for you when Master Iroh arrives, ma'am. Please be patient." The soldier said, and Mai nodded. "Is there anything I can get for you two? Perhaps some spice tea?"

"No thank you. We're fine." Mai replied, and the soldier bowed himself out and walked away. Mai turned seriously to Ty Lee, who wasn't paying attention and ogling at the men in uniforms. "Don't you have a boyfriend?"

"What? Oh." The acrobat blushed and turned away, instantly feeling guilty. "Heheh… right."

"Now what's this 'idea'?"

"Easy." Ty Lee grinned, almost evilly. "We _sneak in_."

"Please tell me you're joking," Mai said, hardly believing her. Ty Lee just smiled and shook her head, causing Mai to rub her forehead. "Just how exactly do you plan on getting there? We don't fit in a crowd, and it's impossible to get past those guards."

"Oh, it won't be _that _hard. Remember how we had snuck past those Dai Li guys in Ba Sing Se? And I'm a Kyoshi Warrior now, so trust me, I know a couple of tricks."

"The Dai Li didn't notice us because we were in disguise." Mai reminded her, pessimistic. However, she did have to give the girl some credit for coming up with the plan. She doubted that she would have done anything had it not been for Ty Lee, and would have still been fuming somewhere. She probably would have gone back to the palace and waited for Zuko to return. She turned to her again. "But you have a point. As long as we don't get caught…"

"Don't worry!" Ty Lee exclaimed, shrugging the danger off. "We'll be fine. Let's just go, okay?"

Mai paused for a second, considering her options, and then sighed heavily. It appeared that her heart over her mind had won this battle as she replied, "Okay. Now how do we get out of here without being seen?"

"There's a back door behind the counter."

"How do you know that?"

"By the way the tent folds. See how all around us the walls are kinda loose and wavy, and then how over there they get all tight? Well that usually means that's where the stakes are, and where there stakes are, there's more likely to be a door."

"And you learned this where?"

"Suki." Ty Lee smiled. "It was part of my basic training."

Thoroughly amazed with what Ty Lee had learned, Mai drew up her cloak and followed her to the back, and just like the acrobat had said, there was a back door. Ty Lee kneeled down and unhinged the bolts in the floor that kept the tent flap down, and opened it enough for the two of them to slip through. The sky had grown significantly darker since their arrival, and was now a dark purple and spotted with stars. There was no moon, and Ty Lee grabbed Mai's wrist and pulled her into the bushes, avoiding torches that had been lit and pitched around the tent. Disguised by their surroundings, the two girls snuck low to the ground and expertly circled around the small meadow, following the gravel path that lead down to the docks. But instead of taking the path itself, they travelled through the brush and found a rock outcrop that overlooked the harbor. From their position they were able to see the torch-carrying soldiers mill about and prepare for the ship's arrival, shouting orders and looking as if they were readying for something big. Two dragon-moose, snorting and pawing at the ground, were hooked up to a wooden cart that carried a large, fearsome, steel crate. Fire Nation troops had already organized themselves around the carriage, armed with spears and lances, prepared for an attack.

"What do you think they're for?" Ty Lee asked.

"It looks like they're going to transport something."

"Like what?"

"Quiet, they're docking."

Ty Lee fell silent as she saw the ship pull in, and come to a stop. With a sound like crunching metal, the ramp of the vessel lowered itself onshore, a number of troops exiting the ship. The Fire Lord came close behind them, protected by Imperial Firebenders. His face was rigid and serious, hands clasped behind his back. Iroh stood not far from the dock and Zuko walked up to him.

"You can still turn back, you know." His uncle said, eyes knowing and full of wisdom. "There is still a way out."

"I don't want a way out." Zuko replied, lowering his head and glaring at the ship he had come from, knowing its contents. "Because I've thought about it, and this is the _only _way."

"You're certain?"

"Yes." Zuko said, and raised his chin up to yell, "Bring up the crate!"

Onboard the ship, four men pulled to levers opposite of one another, attached to a pair of sturdy metal cranes. The rope was made of chains and echoed throughout the harbor, screeching, clanking, and whining as it pulled up a large, black box. The fire light reflected off its obsidian surface as the soldiers guided it to a platform with wheels.

"Easy… easy…" One man said as the crate swung in midair, tentatively, being careful not to let it fall and crash. It landed with a jolt on the platform, and immediately the troops paused in their doing. They held their breath, listening for the slightest sound from within the crate, but none came. They unlinked the box from the cranes and attached new chains to pull it down the ramp, the unoiled wheels squeaking and causing the soldiers to cringe, tension rising as the hinges squealed and threatened to wake the crate's contents. After what felt like an hour, the box landed on the stone ground of the land, and came to a complete stop.

"Now, everyone needs to be _very _quiet." Zuko ordered in a low voice, crossing over to the crate, and looking each soldier straight in the eye. "The slightest sound could set her off. She's extremely sensitive, but wait for my command if she awakens. Let's try to do this as quickly and quietly as possible. Understand?"

All of the soldiers nodded, confirming his order. The crate from the ship was pushed closer to the one in the cart. The box in the cart had its back open, revealing a wooden stretch board with leather and metal straps. It looked frighteningly medieval, but also appropriate for the situation; they were dealing with a dangerous import, and they needed to be ready.

"All right." Zuko said, and stood between the two crates. "Open it."

Two soldiers with ratchets unbolted the ebonite box. A number of troops surged forward to catch the door before it fell to the ground, heeding their Fire Lord's words, and set it down silently nearby. With wide, nervous eyes everyone peered into the small, dark confines of the crate and saw Azula strapped down and asleep. She took no notice to her surroundings, eyes closed, charcoal hair in front of her face, body limp. She was also wrapped in a strait jacket, preventing her hands from breaking free and firebending. Using hand movements to communicate, the soldiers squeezed into the crate and undid the bindings, taking in steady breaths to keep from shaking and perform the task without trouble. And then slowly, ever so _slowly_, the soldiers guided the unconscious Azula to her feet, practically carrying her the small distance to the other crate.

"_Are you insane?!"_

"_Mai_?!"

Leaping from her hiding spot and exposing herself, Mai sped across the harbor and snatched Zuko by the collar, shaking him, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Just what the hell is wrong with you?! You can't bring her here, she'll—"

"Mai, please!" Zuko hissed, trying to be kind and strict at the same time, his hands going around her wrists and trying to get them off his collar. "This isn't the time, if you don't be q—"

"Yes, this is the time!" Mai yelled, knocking his hands away.

"_NO_, _IT'S NOT!"_

"Ahh! Fire Lord Zuko, she's awake! She's awake!" A soldier cried, and both Mai and Zuko whipped their heads to find Azula thrashing in her strait jacket, whirling around, though her knees were bound. She snarled behind her leather mask, howling in fury, and Zuko abandoned Mai and raced to the spot.

"Don't any of you touch me!" Azula roared, constantly turning in place, refusing to let her back be seen. She whipped around and her eyes landed on her brother. "You! You lied! You said that they wouldn't touch me, but they did! Them and their filthy peasant hands!"

"They won't touch you again!" Zuko yelled, and started to run towards her, but she flinched.

"Stay away from me!" She shouted, violently twitching and cringing with spite when her head snapped up and she was facing Mai.

Mai froze. She was paralyzed, her breath caught in her chest. Mai stared into the liquid topaz eyes of the dragon that were burning with hatred and peering straight into her soul. Azula held Mai's stare with an invisible iron cable, forcing her to look at her, show her what she had become because of actions past. In that moment Mai had never felt so vulnerable, so defenseless. Her mind commanded her fingers to draw up her sleeves and pull out a stiletto to throw at the monster, but it was as if Azula was controlling her mental self as well, preventing her from drawing. Mai was completely open.

Azula suddenly crashed to the ground, writhing and squirming as Iroh tackled her. She screamed as he placed a handkerchief over her mouth and nose, toxins entering and numbing her sinuses, knocking her out. She was reduced to a twitching mess, shuddering involuntarily. Iroh released her as she fell asleep again, kneeling over her and tightening her bonds, just to be sure. It was silent.

"You two, come here." He said to a couple of soldiers, and he picked up his niece and handed them to her. "Place her in the crate. She will not wake up again."

"Yes sir." The troops muttered and cautiously took Azula, and carried her into the crate and strapped her to the wooden stretch board, just like they were supposed to. Iroh turned seriously to his nephew, eyes darkening.

"I hope you know what you have done."

Zuko looked away, instantly guilty and angry with himself. He felt undeniably _stupid_. His eyes travelled up to his fiancé, hoping for the slightest forgiveness. "Mai…"

"Don't talk to me Zuko. This isn't the right time." She scowled, and walked back into the shadows, returning from where she had come. Zuko stood amongst the running soldiers who secured Azula's crate, but he did not tend to them. Iroh took over the job and was the one that saddled the ostrich-horse, leading the train through the mountain and to the remote, high-security prison on the other side of the island. Even after all of the soldiers had left and the dock was closed for the night, Zuko stood alone by his ship. He wandered down to the shore and stuck his feet in the water, ashamed.


	10. Chapter 10

"How could you be so reckless?!"

"Reckless? How do you call saving somebody's life reckless?!"

"But it's not just _anybody's _life!"

"Yeah, it's my little sister's!"

"So just because you're related, you think that you have the sole right to move her around where you want? Do you even realize how hard your uncle worked to get her put _into _that prison?"

"Yes, I do, and he respects my decision! Look, I'm sorry if I never told you or left you a note—"

"_Told me or left me a note_?!" Mai's voice cracked, and she threw her hands in the air. "Listen to who you're talking to! I'm not some family member of yours that you can push around because you're upset! I'm your _fiancé_!"

"Well I never asked you to be!"

_Silence_.

Mai lowered her head. Had her ears mistaken her? Had he just said what she thought he did? Zuko fumed, smoke practically coming out of his nose and ears, angrily pacing back and forth across the room. Despite being crowned Fire Lord, he was still as ignorant and selfish as ever. As his Iroh had said, Zuko never thought things through, and it was never more apparent now. Mai watched as Zuko ran his hands through his hair, trying to figure out what to say in the uncomfortable silence, knowing that he should apologize, and explain himself. He sighed heavily.

"Look, I didn't mean that," he said, _just _like Mai had predicted. "And I guess it's because you're my fiancé I'd expect you to understand."

"A title doesn't mean anything more than another name." Mai replied coldly, arms crossed. "I'm still a human being, and I still need to understand what you're doing. You can't expect me to know the moment you blurt it out."

"I know I can't." He pouted. "It's just, I don't know, I thought you would."

"On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that you were once her best friend, that you grew up together!" Zuko shouted, and lost his temper once again. "Have some sympathy, Mai! How could be so… so cold-hearted?!"

"You think _I'm _cold-hearted? Zuko, do you even realize what you're _saying_?"

"Yeah, I do! I'm the one here that's trying to make the world a better place, but all you can do is…" Zuko's voice rose as they continued to argue, shouting and yelling, and soon enough Mai broke her cold-shouldered demeanor and began shouting and yelling as well. Their row carried out the window for everyone to hear, but no one paid attention and slept, for they had no idea of what had been done to cause such anger. Ty Lee, however, lay wide awake on her bed, arms behind her head, listening to the words of her friends argue. She felt completely torn, listening to them reason back and forth, back and forth. Sometimes she thought she heard a crash or a bang, possibly Zuko throwing items about, unable to control his temper. And then there was the occasional silence, usually brought on by an icy comment from Mai, and then quickly escalated into more fighting.

Ty Lee had never wanted any of this to happen. She felt admittedly guilty, for if she hadn't convinced Mai to spy on the docking ship, she would have never seen what Zuko was doing. He could have calmly sat down with her and explained what he had been doing instead, not arguing with her at eleven at night. Ty Lee pulled the covers over her and rolled on her side. She wished for Gin's comfort, longed for his arm to be wrapped around her and tell her that she did no wrong, and that she couldn't have prevented the row. But he was all the way back on Kyoshi Island, and she had sent a messenger hawk to him the day before, telling him about how easily things were coming along at the palace. She had never expected that she would feel so sad and alone.

She felt as if she could cry. Ty Lee closed her eyes and bit her lip, but a small whimper came out. She wanted to go home, leave the Fire Nation, and put all the drama and chaos behind.

_So why couldn't she?_

There was nothing to keep her physically held back, and she wasn't being forced to stay in the palace. Ty Lee sat up in her bed, wiping her nose. Gazing around the moonlit room, she remembered that Mai had given her a special pass shortly after she had arrived. The pass allowed her to access any place in the Fire Nation that did not require a family relation (such as the royal harbor), making it so where she could go where she pleased. Perhaps, Ty Lee thought, all she needed was a night away from the extravagant nobleness and the heated arguments within the imperial walls. She was a simplistic girl, and did not need much to satisfy her. If she could enjoy a night on the town, it would satisfy her just fine.

Ty Lee left her bed and opened her wardrobe, and pulled down a crimson robe. She draped the hood over her head, completely shadowing her face and hiding her features. She tucked the pass into her pocket, and silently left the room, walking down the corridors and past the guards. They didn't at all look alarmed. They merely nodded and said "Have a good night" as she left the palace, completely unconcerned. She guessed that it was because she wasn't a part of the royal family that she wasn't flanked by guards or given a warning on how dark it was outside.

The air was much thicker and hotter outside the palace. Swarms of cricket-mosquitoes festered around her face, her hand hastily swatting them away, clearing them so she could see her way down the staircase and across the plaza. A misty veil of humid fog covered the ground, opaquely illuminated by the various torches parked on the walls. If Ty Lee listened hard enough, she swore that she could still hear Zuko and Mai fighting. She made her way to the great double doors to exit the upper ring, but was halted by a pair of sentries.

"By Fire Nation law, we are ordered to ask for your admissions pass at this hour," they stated. Ty Lee pulled her hood down farther, concealing her features. Silently she pulled out the pass and showed them. They took it, examined it, and nodded in approval. The guard on the left motioned to the ones stationed at the top of the gate towers, ordering them to open the doors. Like heavy, stone slabs of brick and granite they opened, while the man she had spoken to reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder; it was a soft touch of concern. "Be careful on a night like this, miss. There are some strange people outside the walls when there's no moon out."

"I will," Ty Lee replied in a cheery voice, smiling, and hoping she reassured the young guard. It apparently worked, for though his face was grim, he relaxed his shoulders and nodded once more. She ducked her head and went on calmly through.

The streets were abnormally quiet. Ty Lee had expected some sort of nightlife like there was down at the public docks, but it appeared that she was mistaken. Although she had never really been outside the upper ring of the city, she relied on her instinct to lead her down to the harbor. Logically put, it was there that she could leave for home. Ty Lee felt a twisting feeling in her gut at the thought. Perhaps it meant that she doubted herself. By not taking the gondola, she could take the footpath and always have the option of turning back. She passed closed stores and blanketed cabbage carts, their owners fast asleep within their dwellings. Ostrich-horses snorted and peacock-dogs raised their heads as she moved along. Unlike in the plaza, there were no torches to light her way. Ty Lee had to rely on the faint glows of light from peoples' windows or cracks beneath their doors to see.

A steadily growing murmur captured her attention. Ty Lee paused as she looked into a midnight pub, customers visible through the open windows. A cold chill of sweat seemed to come over her and she shuddered, somewhat spooked. Despite it, she entered the pub, pulling her cloak tighter and skittering over to the door. She pressed her hand to the old wood and paused, the hinges squeaking as it opened.

Ty Lee felt as if all eyes were upon her—but only for a moment. People looked and then turned uninterestedly away, returning to their muttered conversations. Compared to the men with wrinkles on their faces and beards on their chins, Ty Lee was relatively young, and felt somewhat vulnerable in such an adult environment.

"I tell you, he's no good as a Fire Lord!" Ty Lee passed a stern-faced man, who hissed to an elderly woman, covering the side of his mouth as he talked. The acrobat couldn't help but eavesdrop. "He's willing to tax the entire country to help those Earth Kingdom peasants! Why should _we _have to pay _their _debts? They're the ones that started the blasted war!"

"Oh, hush up," the woman huffed in reply. "You have to spend money to make money."

"Ha, says you. Zuko is too inexperienced. Ozai never made us pay!"

It was hard not to cringe at the man's criticizing words. Ty Lee turned away, ignoring them. She seated herself at the counter, pulling her hood down low, though her eyes watched the movements of everyone else around her. She stayed quiet when the bartender asked her for a drink; her young voice and extremely feminine appearance would have not only been suspicious, but it would have also blown her cover. She knew that she had to hide her true identity. It was a tactic Suki had taught her, and she used it to her advantage—when no one knew who you were, you were able to find out information without personal involvement. And as she sat there, fingers smoothing the hardwood surface, she slowly realized what sort of information she wanted, but it had nothing to do with going home.

A heavy-set man sat down to the left of her, his seat creaking from the weight. He ordered himself a cup of spice tea in a strangely familiar voice, muscles flexing as he made himself comfortable. His jaw was square and his neck was thick; his very presence radiated brute strength. While he was waiting for his drink, he straightened his back and looked around, craning his neck to survey the small confines of the pub. It was when his beady eyes landed on Ty Lee's did she shrivel back.

"What, something wrong with my face?" He asked in an accusatory tone, as if he was often made fun of for his large appearance. Ty Lee quickly shook her head 'no'.

"N-No," she stuttered. "It's just… I know you."

"You do?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. He lifted a single finger and scratched the top of his head. "From where? I've only been here for a month or two."

"Uh…" Ty Lee rapidly tried to think. She knew his face and body, but failed to place a name. Had she even known his name? And wasn't he an enemy? And who knew the name of an enemy? Certainly she didn't. But the war was over. So did it matter if he was an enemy or not? "Well like, I've seen you before, I just don't remember your name."

"Oh." The man smiled and held out a platypus-bear sized hand. "I'm Chit Sang. It's nice to meet you miss…?"

"Xie. My name is Xie." Ty Lee lied. It was the first name she could think of, for she knew that if she told him her real name, he might know who she was. When she heard his, she instantly remembered seeing him nine months ago at the Boiling Rock, helping to free the prisoners and start a riot. Azula had called him impeccably stupid.

"Hmm… don't think I've ever met a Xie before." He mused. "Were we in prison together?"

"Uh, maybe." Ty Lee lied again. Okay, so she _had _technically seen him in jail, but not in the situation he was talking about. "Actually, I think I'm starting to remember you. You were at the Boiling Rock, right? And you were known for your escape plans."

"Yeah!" Chit Sang exclaimed and grinned. "I failed a lot, but that Zuko kid helped me out. But how did you know that?"

"Oh, a friend of a friend of mine knows the niece of the warden there. You know. Rumors." Ty Lee shrugged. Chit Sang appeared to believe her.

"Man, those were some rough days." He sighed. "And after the war, they had to call me back to that place. It seems that the paperwork and stuff got all mixed up, so then I had to stay there. Then they wanted to transfer a ton of us prisoners to other Fire Nation jails so they could sort us."

"Why didn't they just keep you all at the Boiling Rock? Wouldn't it have been easier just to stay there?"

"Because they didn't just send the high-security criminals there. They sent _everyone _there. Thieves, people unable to pay their taxes, illegal ostrich-horse pole parking drivers, you name it. You had everyday people mixed with homicidal maniacs."

"Whoa. But why did they do that?"

"Don't know, I'm not Fire Lord." Chit Sang took a sip of his spice tea; to a normal person, it would have been a gulp, for the cup was empty once he set it down. He rapped his knuckles on the table for another round. "All I know is that once they got me out of the Boiling Rock, they sent me to that fancy prison not far from here, not far from where all the big political baddies are kept."

"Now that you mention it… I think I have a friend that's being kept there," Ty Lee said quickly. "I think she also got transferred."

"Yeah. I remember a boat came last week. She coulda been dropped off," Chit Sang agreed, though they weren't talking about the same boat. The one Ty Lee was referring to had come earlier that day, and in the private, royal harbor.

"Well, last time she wrote me, she said that she was really sick."

"Prison's a disgusting place, it doesn't matter where you go."

"Definitely. She's really depressed too."

"Were you thinking of breaking her out?" Chit Sang asked suddenly. At first Ty Lee was shocked and tempted to say yes, but did not. She didn't want to break Azula out of prison. She swallowed her surprise and kept it cool.

"I just want to see her… that's all," she replied morosely, sadly. It was what she honestly wanted. Chit Sang could see this, and instantly felt sympathy for the poor girl. It was hard not to.

"Listen." He said, and Ty Lee glanced at him. "I think I can help you, Xie. I can take you to the prison."

"Really?" A look of hope enlightened her features. "You can?"

"Mhm. I can take you there, but I can't break you in."

"Even so, that's great!" Ty Lee was already out of her seat and ready to leave. Chit Sang smiled warmly and downed his final cup of tea, and left a couple of copper pieces on the counter. Ty Lee's heart pounded with excitement as he led her out of the pub and into the streets. Now, it didn't seem as dark out, and she felt significantly safer beside Chit Sang. No man in his right mind would have messed with a brute like him.

The commoners' ring was fairly populated, but Chit Sang led her to the outskirts of the town, where there was no wall to protect them from the nature around the rest of the island. Unlike on the northern side of the capital, where flora and fauna flourished as a jungle, the southern side was barren, desert-like. The ground was hard and made of a blend of igneous and sedimentary rock, the surface coated with fine, plain dust that resembled ash. A stray kangaroo-rat scampered in front of them, kicking up a dirt cloud as it ran. It then popped into a small hole, squeezed through, and disappeared. Ty Lee found that the landscape stretched for about fifty meters until a large, stone basin seemed to rise up out of the earth. A barely visible path winded up to the crater, and even from her distance, Ty Lee could already see the top of the prison, nestled on the inside wall of the basin.

"Sometimes there's an elevator that goes down there," Chit Sang said. "But uh… you probably wouldn't wanna use it. 'Cause it's night and all."

"Thank you." Ty Lee replied, taking a step forward, prepared to continue alone. "And you know, Azula always said you were dumb, but I think you're smart. Don't let people put you down."

"Oh, thanks!" Chit Sang grinned, feeling proud. It was only after Ty Lee had left and was running towards the prison crater did he run her compliment through his head and realized who he had been talking to. "Azu…Azula? Wait. That one girl that… that… crap."

While Chit Sang turned and went back into town, Ty Lee bounded over the dry landscape and arrived at the crater. She hovered on the edge of the outcrop, looking down at the structured walkways, posted sentries, and barred windows of the fortress. Azula could have been in any one of the cells, and Ty Lee had no idea where to start. Chit Sang hadn't told her where certain prisoners were kept, just that most of them were held for their political crimes.

But finding Azula's cell was a future goal, a step later in the plan. First she needed to break into prison.

The squeaking sound of gears and mechanics caught her attention on the right. A couple of guards were riding down the elevator and Ty Lee crept over to the ropes. Silently, like the Kyoshi Warrior she had become, she took hold of the elevator's ropes and slid down them, reaching the bottom before the guards did. She fleeted into the shadows, covering herself, and avoiding the firelight. Now she knew that if she was caught, she wouldn't be able to turn back. She slinked along the platforms like a stealthy sensei-cat, watching the whites of the sentries' eyes', knowing where they were looking. She dashed to the stone face of the prison, where the first window was at least ten feet above her head. She noticed that wooden poles bearing Fire Nation flags were posted on various parts of the building. They looked long enough and sturdy enough to grab hold of, even if only for a few seconds. It suddenly made sense to Ty Lee that Azula would be logically kept on the top floor of the prison—she was the most dangerous criminal, and by putting her in the highest tower, it made escape nearly impossible.

Ty Lee backed away from the wall, closed her eyes, and took in a deep, concentrated breath. She lifted her hands so her fingers and thumbs touched together, and she visualized the vertical path before her, as if she were able to make a psychic connection with it. Then, she opened her eyes and darted forward with sudden speed, running the ten feet up the wall and to the sill of the first window, landed, and then jumped off it, arms and hands outstretched, grasping the wooden pole of the first flag. Ty Lee's gifted acrobatic skills allowed her to keep her body's momentum, turning once on the wooden pole and then flipping upwards in the air, positioning herself ramrod straight so she could reach above her head and grab the next pole. She did this three, four, five, six, seven times, all the way up to the last one. Conveniently, the window she came upon had no bars to prevent her from entering. She rolled inside, infiltrating the prison without having to attack a single guard.

The hallway was extremely dark and quiet. The humidity that had been on the ground made the stone surroundings wet and somewhat slimy, but the heat that had been along with it had vanished and replaced by a strange cold. Ty Lee guessed that it was just all the bad karma, and didn't want to underestimate it. She wrapped her arms around herself, sneaking along the corridor, carefully looking around the corners to check for any guards. But the torches were not lit and all was silent, and she didn't see a single person. The hallway split left and right, and she turned to the left, passing by empty cells. She honestly had expected skeletons and rats to be everywhere, but this was not the case. The place was relatively clean; the only spot that seemed to be dirty was the scorch marks on the wall where the torches burned. It was extremely weird, or at least to Ty Lee, who had remembered prison as being a depressing, cold metal place. Then again, she had been at the Boiling Rock, and this was not the Boiling Rock.

Somebody was whimpering. Ty Lee froze—it sounded like a dying animal. It was the kind of pathetic sound that made her heart bleed and feel sorry for the thing that was dying. She was close to nature and instantly felt sympathy for the poor creature, and started towards the noise. She loved animals. Perhaps she could help save it. She followed the sound down a corridor, and discovered that it was coming from beyond an old, wooden door. To her surprise, it was unlocked, and she pushed it gently ajar, poking her head inside.

However, what Ty Lee came upon was not a dying animal, but though the thing certainly looked like it was dying, or at least in an incalculable amount of pain. She couldn't see well, but Ty Lee saw that the creature was curled up tightly in a ball, arms tight around itself like a strait jacket. The indistinguishable silhouette shivered, teeth chattering, and then whimpered once more. The acrobat knelt down at the bars that separated her and the animal, hands wrapping around the rusted steel, silently watching the thing suffer. It would twitch and jerk its head, snarling on occasion, but still whined and cried.

"Ssh…" She said softly, yearning to reach out and pet the creature so it would calm down, but feared her hand being bitten. "You're having a bad dream. Just wake up."

_Wake up._

Azula's eyes cracked open. She couldn't tell where she was other than the fact that it was entirely dark, and that someone was kneeled at the opposite end of her cell. She could see their eyes shimmering off of some unknown light, as if they naturally glowed. The simple thought confused her, so she shut her eyes again.

_"Wake up, Little 'Zula. Wake up. Today's the big day you show your father what you can do. You don't want to miss that, do you?"_

"_**Away**_!" Azula shouted, opening her eyes and instantly sitting up, hardly thinking straight. "Just… just leave me alone!"

But it came apparent to her that she had been dreaming… or hallucinating… again. Azula ducked her head between her knees, palms on her temples, trying to concentrate. She had to focus. She couldn't let herself get sucked into her own mind games. She had never felt such an amount of emotion, and it was literally tearing her apart. Zuko had given her new clothing and a good cleaning when he had taken her from the prison overseas, but one could hardly tell. In addition to her weak frame, the tattered clothes practically falling off her shoulders, various bandages now were now wrapped around her arms and legs, covering the blisters she had sustained earlier that month. Some were bloody, and most were falling off, but at least this time she did not have to wear a leather mask or be bound in chains. She was wary as to why Zuko would have done such a thing—it was inconceivably nice of him. But Azula knew, she _knew,_ that he had another plan, another motive, and she wouldn't let him get away with it.

For several agonizing minutes, her breath was ragged, but it gradually died down. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, sniffling like a child. She snorted at the thought, casting a piercing gaze to the spider-webbed corner of her cell. Really. Was she _that _pathetic?

And then she realized she was being watched.

Ty Lee didn't dare to move.

"What are you doing here?"

Azula's voice was dry, raspy, as if she was dehydrated. Her bones seemed to jut out of her skin as she hung her arms over her knees, her head lowered like an ancient messenger hawk. Through tattered ribbons of oily hair—hair that was so oily that it did not knot—her amber eyes seemed to glow red with an exhausted heat. It was impossible for her to hide the fact that she had been crying. Ty Lee had been there long enough.

"Answer me!" Azula barked, almost to the pitch that sounded like she was shouting at another hallucination, ordering a command from nothing but a figment of her imagination. "What are you doing here?!"

"I just wanted to see you," Ty Lee squeaked, wringing her hands together, unable to look into the gaze of the dragon.

"_Why_?!"

Ty Lee bowed her head. She didn't know why she had come to see the insane, nightmarish demon that claimed to be Azula. She felt as if she had been acting on instinct. For a brief moment Ty Lee thought that there was hope—perhaps her friendship with Azula was stronger than she had thought… until Azula leapt to her feat and began to absolutely howl with rage.

"What do you want from me?! You've taken my pride, my reputation, my crown! You've destroyed everything I used to have! Better yet, _I _never had _anything_, because you stole it from me before I could even have it! And guess what? I don't want anything of yours now, there's nothing I can have, nothing I can own! Take it!"

Azula crouched over and began to claw at her own clothes. Her nails ripped the fabric, and like a creature shedding its skin, she tore most of it off in uneven strips and threw them against the bars and walls.

"Do you want my clothes? _Take them_! Do you want my skin? _Have it_! Do you want my hair? _Take it_! Take all of it! All of it! You have everything, just _take me already_! Take me! Take my life, _**I**__**don't want it**_!"

Azula's knees gave out and she collapsed in a heap, hands over the back of her head, choking on dry sobs again. She couldn't stop crying.

Ty Lee slowly crawled forward. Tentatively, acting on instinct again, she slipped her hand between the bars and laid it on Azula's, her friend's.

"I don't want any of that," Ty Lee whispered. Azula's hand twitched, but she did not remove it. She sat up, but did not look the girl in the eye. "I just want to help you."

"Ha!" Azula's cold laugh burst out of her throat as if it were involuntary. She snatched her hand back, grinning from ear to ear for a moment or two, but her masochistic delight was short-lived. The mad smile faded, and her hair covered her face again, curtaining her expressions. "You can't help me… you never could."

"I can if you just let me."

"No!" Azula snarled coldly. "You're a traitor."

Her words echoed in the silence. Ty Lee expected another bout of anger, but none came. She left her hand on the floor, just on the other side of the bars. Azula could still reach for it if she wanted to, but all she did was stare at it as if it were a poisonous scorpion-snake.

"You betrayed me," Azula croaked. She dared to state the obvious, as much as it seemed to physically pain her. Ty Lee was compelled to say no—no, she didn't betray Azula, she protected Mai, Azula betrayed them—but she held her tongue.

"I did." She said instead. Either way, regardless of blame, both girls were guilty of a broken friendship.

"Why?" Azula asked. She had used that words so many times already. _Why?_

_"_Azula…" The acrobat said the captive's name. Azula flinched. She had hadn't been the only one to notice how many questions she had asked that night. Ty Lee had hardly spoken. "Sometimes we don't know why we do things. We don't think about it or talk about it, but we do it anyways. Su—I mean, um, it's called instincts. Feelings. Emotion."

Azula's face softened, falling.

"What I did for Mai…"

Her face hardened again.

"…I did because I didn't want to see either of you hurt. I didn't want either of you dead… which is why I came here. They said you were dying."

"Who said?" Azula snapped, quick to accuse.

"Zuko did."

"He doesn't know anything."

"He knows more than you let yourself think."

Azula glared at her.

"Get out of here." She growled, and Ty Lee stood to her feet. She reluctantly went back the way she came, throwing a glance over her shoulder. Azula had her back to her now, hugging her knees. And very softly, Ty Lee could hear her say beneath her breath,

"_Traitor_."


	11. Chapter 11

Y E S ! An update, how exciting. How awesome. I've got some future chapters written as well, they just need to go through circulation with my beta. I've even drawn a map of the Earth Kingdom (though it took me two hours... it's cool). Unfortuntely, **time and technology are not on my side. **Time, is where I go back to school on monday, and then my teachers are going to be preparing us for finals (yes, it's stupid that we have finals AFTER break, because like most people, we've forgotten EVERYTHING. I'm trying to write an essay now and... fail. FAIL!!!). Technology, is where my laptop is still broken and won't be fixed until I order a new charger from Amazon, and my brother's computer has yet another virus. Trust me, I know this isn't an excuse for not updating in so long. But I've been working on things, I swear.

Now--enough of my complaining--one of the reasons this chapter took longer than others with me and my beta is the IC-ness or OOC-ness of it all. I'm at the point where Azula has become a coherent, but still insane, character, and it's just a _tad _difficult to write. More development will probably come in later chapters, so if this one's a little awkward, don't be surprised, and don't crazily flame me for it. And on another note, I've decided to finally buy the Avatar DVDs... and I'm ordering them backwards xD I got Book 3, then Book 2, and still have yet to purchase Book 1. And, I also bought the entire series of _Ergo Proxy_... yet one awesome anime I suggest you see ^^

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Mai asked impatiently, arms folded across her chest, glaring at her fiancé as she leaned on the doorframe. Though she appeared royal and regal like any Fire Maiden should have, the same could not have been said for the Fire Lord. His hair was horribly disheveled and uncombed, black bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep, and dressed entirely in his pajama robes. It was clear by both his and Mai's impatience that the night had not gone well.

"Done," Zuko announced, and tossed the scribing brush aside, finishing up a last-minute letter.

"You used my last brush, you know," Mai growled as she eyed the brush, now lying with its splintered tip and drying ink, ruining it. Zuko snorted and dropped it half-heartedly into its bottle. He fumbled around the desk for an envelope and tucked the letter in, and then had to hunt for clay to melt and make a seal.

"You're just giving it to your uncle, aren't you?" Mai questioned, and Zuko paused as she walked over to him. "You don't need a seal, let's just go."

"Can't you just wait? I thought you didn't want to go." Zuko grunted.

"That was last night."

"So? Why did you change your mind?"

"Because I've realized that I want to prove to you that what you're doing is dangerous and stupid."

"So you think you're going to help the situation by going to her and purposely upsetting her to prove a point? You say I'm being reckless, but you're not being very rational either."

"Just finish the letter and let's go." Mai complained, deciding to ignore his point. Zuko frowned irritably and tucked the nose of the envelope inside itself instead of sealing it. He threw off his pajamas and grabbed a couple of sad-looking robes off one of the doormen (it was clear that the maids had not been in his quarters that morning) and hastily threw them on. He snatched up his hair into a topknot and struggled to pin his crown into place. Mai looked on disapprovingly.

"I'll get Ty Lee," Mai announced, and with an air of superiority turned down the hallway. Behind her, Zuko toppled to the floor as he struggled to lace up his boots.

The decision to see Azula hadn't been one that Mai had suddenly decided. She had thought about it all night, and every instinct told her not to see the girl… and not to allow Ty Lee to come along if she did. Who knew what sort of damage would happen to the acrobat's psyche if she saw her former friend in rags, screaming her head off at things that weren't really there? The look of shock that had been on Ty Lee's face when she had seen Azula at the Royal Harbor the other day was one Mai knew she wouldn't soon forget. It was unwise of Mai to expose Ty Lee to such horrors, but she knew how much she cared for Azula, despite the fact that Mai herself felt no sympathy for the dragon. Thus, Mai was doing it not for her own sake, but Ty Lee's and Zuko's. Mai could have looked forward to Azula's death just to get it over with and move on.

Mai pushed open Ty Lee's door without knocking, looking inside to find the acrobat standing on her balcony, dressed and ready to go somewhere. Did she already know that they were going to visit Azula?

"Ty Lee?" Mai spoke, and the girl in pink jumped, startled.

"Oh, hi Mai," Ty Lee smiled widely, innocently.

"Why are you all dressed up?"

"I couldn't sleep... because you and Zuko--"

"Right." Mai said shortly, interrupting her. "Sorry about that. We were just discussing... yesterday's events."

"Uh-huh," Ty Lee nodded, though she knew that Zuko and Mai's 'discussion' was less than friendly. Mai seemed to hesitate before the next words spilled out of her mouth.

"We were discussing Azula and... we're going to see her today."

Ty Lee's stomach clenched, and she suddenly felt sick, overwrought with guilt. She _knew _that she shouldn't have snuck out, but she had, and karma was now biting her in the butt. What would happen if Azula saw her? Would she say something? The fear of getting caught when she had snuck out was all for nothing now; she should have _known _that sooner or later Mai would have been willing to visit the convict, especially if she were in a state of death.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked, and snapped the acrobat out of her reverie. "I thought you would be a little more excited."

"Ohhh, right! This better?" Ty Lee gave her a wide, toothy grin.

"Yeah, I guess. Now come on, I have to go check on Zuko."

Ty Lee followed Mai briskly down the corridor, but they didn't have to walk for long before they ran into Zuko and Iroh. Mai nodded at the old man, before glaring at her fiancé.

"I thought he was just getting the letter," she growled.

"He wanted to come along," Zuko said testily. "And it would've been rude to tell him no."

"And what's Azula going to think? Do you think she can handle it?"

"You'd be surprised. The doctors say that since we moved her—"

"--Since _you _moved her."

"Whatever. She's doing better."

"And when did you last hear this?"

"This morning."

"And you don't find that at all suspicious?" Mai questioned, which put Zuko to silence. She glanced at a bag on his shoulder, stuffed with various scrolls. She raised an eyebrow. "What's with the papers? Ink blot tests?"

"No."

"Can we just go?" Ty Lee piped in, nervous from the hot tension in the air. "I... I really want to see her."

"As do I." Iroh agreed, and placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder, as if to tell him that his arguing was only delaying the inevitable. Zuko huffed, but dropped it, and walked down the hallway. Iroh and Ty Lee followed, but Mai stayed for a few moments, arms crossed, leering at the back of Zuko's head. Something, more than ever, was off about him, and she didn't like it.

.:..:..:.

"So why don't you eat your food? It's just one bite of some yummy eggs over rice," the guard teased, sticking a wooden bowl with chopsticks between the bars. The dragon in the corner of her cell glowered steadily at him, eyes a pale, dead gold, but with enough darkness to still make a threat. The guard then took the bowl back and ate a bite, emphasizing its flavor with a loud, "mmm", and then he started choking. Now she definitely wasn't going to eat it.

"Fine! You won't be gettin' lunch neither!" The guard yelled after hacking up a lung, and chucked the bowl into the cage. It crashed against the far stone wall, almost to the high-and-barred window, and its contents spilled on the floor. He wiped his nose and then exited the cell room altogether, slamming the oak door behind him so the whole chamber echoed.

Throughout the entire scene Azula had hardly flinched. But now that the guard was gone, she moved, her muscles tense and breathing steady but shaky. Her thighs flexed and she was standing, placing her forehead against one of the stone walls, fists clenched, eyes closed. She was angry. Angry and she didn't even know why.

_You're pathetic._

"No." She turned and placed her back on the wall. "No. I'm just... confused."

She slumped down into a sitting position again, running a hand through her hair. She _was _confused, and it angered and scared and saddened her all at once. But what was she confused about, angry about? She hated everyone. She always had. But now the mere thought of them made her sick. Literally. Azula clutched her stomach and wished she had taken the breakfast, before remembering how much she hated eggs over rice. There was nothing else in the world than the rage curling in her toes, the fury boiling in her veins, the bad blood flowing...

The cell's wooden door opened, and as if by reflex Azula jumped back to her feet. And there was Zuko and Iroh. She took a careful step back.

"We just want to talk," Zuko said softly, approaching the bars. Azula's head lowered. "You want out, don't you?"

Azula blinked and reclined.

"Yeah. I thought so," he nodded, and grabbed a scroll from his bag.

"Are you just going to keep teasing me?" Azula asked as his back was turned. "Telling me that I'm going to get out when I'll be in here forever?"

Zuko ignored her and passed the scroll between the bars. She did not immediately take it.

"It's your release form. You can look at it yourself. And all you have to do is sign."

Azula snatched the scroll and scanned it—it was official. "But..." she was skeptical. "This is only if I..." the next words seemed to choke in her throat, or make her tongue bleed, "if I help you."

"Yes. Help me find mom."

Azula twitched, and tears instinctively came to her eyes. She turned away, and didn't even have to speak to let them know what was going through her mind.

"It would be beneficial to you," Iroh spoke up, "you, and Zuko."

"Like I care."

"Do you really want to stay in here forever Azula?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, I do. Now what can't you just leave me alone?" She went cold, on the defensive yet again. "You don't think I've accepted my fate? That I'll die and rot in here?"

"I moved you because I thought you would think differently."

"How considerate of you."

"But I can see that you're just a waste of time. If you really wanted freedom you would do whatever it takes. But you're not that willing, are you? I thought you were, but you're not. You'd rather die. You're weak. Let's go." Zuko turned his back, and the moment he did Azula launched at the bars, and threw the scroll at him.

"Weak? You think I'm _weak_?! If there's one thing I'm not, it's weak! I can get out of here if I want to! I'll find mother if that's what you want me to do!"

Zuko paused, glancing over his shoulder. He wanted to smirk, but it would have given away his deceit. All of those years his sister had tricked him and used his temper had taught him now how to do the same to her. He quietly picked up the scroll and a pen, when Iroh grabbed his wrist.

"Wait. We are not done yet." He claimed, and walked over to open the cell door. Azula's eyes widened as Ty Lee and Mai entered. She glared at her brother and backed off.

"Are you _trying _to prove something?" She growled, her eyes locked on Mai.

"Yes. I want to see how much you can control yourself." Zuko replied.

"If you want me to control myself you'll get _her _out of here," Azula snarled, and flinched. "Get her out. Get her _out__**!"**_

"I'm not going anywhere." Mai replied, and the convict flinched again.

"Get her _out_, Zuko, get her OUT!" Azula yelled, clapping her hands over her ears so she wouldn't have to hear the assassin's voice.

"I'm not leaving, and I came here because I heard you were dying." Mai started to walk forward, but Ty Lee stepped in front of her.

"C'mon, let's not get her upset--"

"You think I _care_ if she's upset? I'm upset!"

"Mai!" Zuko whirled about, "I thought we went over this!"

"Get her _out of here_, Zuko! Or-or I'll never help you find her!"

"What? Find who? Zuko!"

"I'll tell you later, right now you need to leave!"

"I told you she was unstable!"

"--_Out_!"

"Mai, come on! Listen to him!"

"No!" Mai shouted, and snatched her arm back from Ty Lee, pushed past Iroh and Zuko, marching right up to the bars. Azula still had her hands over her ears. "If you're supposed to be getting better, why can't you face me?! Is it because in your mind I'm still a traitor, but because it was the _right thing to do_?! I don't see why everyone has so much faith in you I _know _you _know _that you'll never trust them! Starting with me!"

The captive cringed and howled. Zuko rushed to drag Mai out of the room, but she shoved him away. "Whatever, I'm done. Don't bother to invite me to the funeral." She spat, and left.

There was an austere silence, and no one knew what to say or do. Ty Lee knelt down next to the bars, and then sat on her knees. She looked forlornly at her best friend. What had happened the night before... had had a deeper effect than she had thought, because unlike Mai, Azula hadn't lashed out at her. Ty Lee looked questioningly up at Zuko. "So who are you looking for?"

"My mother." The Fire Lord replied. "That is, if you're willing, Azula."

"Which I'm not. You want me to prove myself, you're forcing me to. It's not like I have a choice."

"Only because I know it'll help you. I wouldn't do it otherwise."

"Sure you wouldn't. You're _afraid _of me. Everyone is."

Zuko hung his head. "Yes... but I have to learn not to be. And you have to learn too."

"What?"

"You have to learn not to be afraid of yourself. I know you are, that's why you don't want to look for mom. You're afraid of what will happen, how you will feel."

"Shut up, Zuko! Why do you think that you know who I am?"

"Do you know who you are?" He asked seriously, and Azula was taken aback. She didn't want to think about it, didn't want to think about it.

"How do you even plan on finding her? It's not like she'll just appear like she _always _used to do for you." Azula was glaring at him again.

"White Lotus documents," Zuko replied, and turned to the bag of scrolls he had brought along. He began to spread them out before her cage so she could see. There were letters, records, receipts, tickets—a plethora of different kinds of parchment that had been collected over the past eight years. The last document he laid out was a detailed map of the Earth Kingdom, where his chicken scratch was evidence that he had marked it for specific reasons.

"Uncle and I gathered them. It's taken me a long time, but... I think I've managed to track her down. I'm guessing she's on the eastern bank of Chameleon Bay."

Azula was skeptical. She kneeled down to view the papers. "_You _gathered all of this?"

"I did."

"And you really think she's there? _Why_?" Not once did her voice falter. She wanted answers, information from her brother. If he was so keen on knowing everything, then he ought to have an explanation for it all.

"Well," Zuko cleared his throat, "the first record we found was in a town that's now abandoned, called Herbal City. It's just south of the Fire Nation Colonies, and restricted her from going north. She then somehow traveled to the Full Moon Bay Harbor and applied for a ticket, but she didn't go to Ba Sing Se. The next record comes from the Glacier Oasis in the Si Wong Desert.... uncle and I think that somebody was following her, but we have no idea, because our next document comes from Fort Coal, which used to be where we would station our troops. If she was caught, we never found out. So, either she went or the soldiers took her to Ba Sing Se. The last record comes from the Hu Xin Provinces."

"Aren't the Provinces owned by nobles?" Ty Lee asked.

"Yes, Earth Kingdom nobles," Zuko confirmed, and then met his sister's eyes. They had both hardened and softened at the same time, considering what he had said. She looked up.

"Fine. I'll go. I'll help you look for... _her_."

Zuko smiled, seeing that even though she had put up a front, he had gotten through to her. He handed her the pen and the scroll, which she signed willingly.

But Azula had a plan, one that made her smirk when she wrote her name. And it didn't involve just her freedom.


	12. Chapter 12

J u s t to make a note to everyone, for I don't know if I answered it earlier in any of my author's notes, that I had debated whether or not to make this story Tyzula or not. I have not, and I will not, for just because you have a romantic character involved to help "heal" Azula, does not make things all hunky-dory-happy-better. I don't like that, at all. And well frankly, when people read a story within the "family/drama" (I may just change it to "adventure") category, having a long, drawn-out chapter about two people making-out is something they wouldn't really care for, because it would just be a bunch of pointless fluff. The reason I'm saying this is because in this chapter, some of you may take note of the interaction between Azula and Ty Lee, and I **do not want to be yelled at for it.** Not that you guys would do that... you love me xD

And besides, I've got a new OTP to obsess about... but not Avatar. Vincent and Real from _Ergo Proxy_... an anime you all should check out. Ferserious. And, well, I'm starting to like Maiko more and more as well as Tokka :)

Hmm... don't know if I really like this chapter... oh well. I want to try updating this story weekly, with everything I've written out... teehee.

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He couldn't think of any more words to say. Mai had her back to him, her arms crossed, and she hadn't once spoken to him. Zuko stood with the message she had given him, but looking at it brought one too many fears. Was this her way of revenge?

"Mai..." he choked. "Why... you can stay here. I'm not even asking you to come."

Silence.

"I'm sorry if I made you mad... if Azula made you mad. But I kept this from you because I thought you _would _be mad. It was kind of an accident."

More silence.

"Mai!" he shouted, growing desperate and fearing for the worst. "Talk to me, please! I'm sorry, I don't--"

"How long are you going to be whining like a child?!" she snarled, turning on him and picking up twin suitcases. "When are you going to grow up? I keep waiting, but you're never there, you'll never _be _there."

"I don't und--"

"Of course you don't understand. You're still too selfish to realize it. Now I'm going back to Omashu, whether you like it or not."

"But I need someone to--"

"Your uncle can take care of it. Goodbye, Zuko."

And she left him, just like that. He considered running after her, following her down the hallway, and taking her in his arms to apologize, but that would have made her even more angry. She was still wearing her engagement ring, and had yet to fling it at him. He didn't want that to happen.

He busied himself by packing his bags. They wouldn't need much provision-wise, as it would be summer in the Earth Kingdom, so he packed lightly. It wasn't long before he sensed his uncle standing in the doorway of his room.

"I know how important it is to find your mother," he said softly. "But your wife is just as important."

"She's not my wife," Zuko replied coldly, stabbed inwardly at himself.

"You still want to marry her, though?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Think of how important she is to you. You don't want to lose that, do you?"

"No."

"Okay. Then that's a start." Iroh smiled and then walked up beside him, examining his provisions. "Is this enough? You're not the only one traveling, remember?"

"Ty Lee's actually bringing most of the stuff. We'll have a pack mule-rooster if we need one."

"Ah," the old man nodded, and then raised his head to look at the beautiful dawn. A mist of wisdom, worry, and lore came over his watery eyes, as if seeing something in the sunrise that saddened him. "Are you sure that this is the right thing to do?"

Zuko saw the look on his uncle's face. He turned to see the morning as well. "I hope so."

A few minutes later the two men were exiting the palace and riding down the gondola to the Royal Harbor, the hearty scent of volcano smoke intermingling with the brash smell of the salty sea. They walked down the stone path and into the cove, where the big, black, industrial ship stood waiting, the soldiers at the anchor's chains and ready to pull up. Ty Lee ran over to them.

"Where's Azula?" Zuko asked.

"Already on board. She's got her own room. Everyone's ready to go.  
"Good. Tell the captain I'll board in a minute."

"Yessir!" Ty Lee did a kid-like salute, and obeyed the Fire Lord's order. Zuko then turned and hugged the Dragon of the West beside him.

"I wish you could come with."

Iroh gave an extra squeeze and then nudged Zuko in the arm. "Somebody needs to run the country! If we all did what we wanted, there would be chaos!" He roared with laughter. "But I will miss you too. Especially your sense of humor."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Right," he chuckled, hugged his uncle again, and then walked up the iron ramp. He signaled the captain in his cabin to raise anchor, and the ship unleashed a mighty blow of steam, and blaring its foghorn all throughout the dawn. Like a great lionturtle, the ship pulled out of the harbor and entered the open sea, en route to the Earth Kingdom.

A strong gust of wind rushed at the Fire Lord's face, pushing back his hair and flapping his robes. He saw Ty Lee hanging out by the front of the ship, minding her own business, but no Azula. Zuko frowned. Azula had been "given" her own room, and it was no doubt in his mind that they had misunderstood his orders. She was likely locked in a cage with no sunlight. He grabbed the nearest sailor.

"Where is Azula?!"

"Who?" the young man squeaked, cowering beneath his superior.

"Azula! The other passenger!"

"Oh, heheh, you mean the captive..." The sailor shrank as Zuko towered over him, just beginning to seethe. He gulped, sweat coating his brow. "If-If you let go of m-me, I can--"

"Take me to her. _Now_." Zuko released the man, who hurriedly nodded and led the Fire Lord below deck. They walked down and across several flights of aluminum stairs, passed a number of boiling rooms, the lights noticeably growing darker. Zuko's ears alerted him to Azula's location sooner than her eyes did, her screams bouncing off the steel walls, reverberating throughout the corridor. It was like prison all over again.

"Let me out of here, you _fool_!"

"Shut up!"  
"Hey!" Zuko shouted, shoving the sailor that had led him down out of the way. He ran up to the guard that had just yelled. "You ever talk to her like that again I'll have you discharged!"

"And what are you," the guard snorted, "my mother?"

"No, I'm your Fire Lord."

The man's smirk dropped. "So what's the deal?"

"Let her out. She doesn't belong in there," Zuko ordered, glancing at his sister, but it was too dark to see her expression. There was a clink of keys in a padlock, and the squeaking of a cage door being opened. Azula stepped out and Zuko raised a hand to lay on her shoulder, but he froze the moment she glared at him.

"Don't touch me," she snapped, and Zuko's hand dropped. Azula was hardly aware of the favor he had just done her. The siblings ascended the stairs to the upper deck, and Zuko opened the door for her, letting the sunrise spill into the corridor.

The light was bright, brighter than anything she had seen in a long time. Azula had to shield her eyes from its ethereal shine, penetrating through the black film of her eyelids. But when her feet shuffled forward and the god of the sea surrounded her on either side of the ship, she saw the new glowing fire of the day, the warm hearth of a soul being welcomed and awakened. At that same time, though, coldness swept over her and she recoiled, turning her back to the sun, unable to face it.

When she opened her eyes, Ty Lee was standing right in front of her. Azula had nearly forgotten that Zuko was there until he stepped up next to the acrobat.

"Ty Lee's going to clean you up," he said.

"I don't need it," she retorted.

"Yeah, you _do_," Ty Lee laughed, raising her eyebrows at Azula's gaunt and dirty figure, which was in need of being washed. Her blisters hadn't fully healed. "You smell funny. And just think of it as a royal treatment."

Azula opened her mouth to protest, but ended up wincing at "royal treatment" instead. Zuko noticed and asked, "Is that okay with you?"

"Well if I smell funny it's obviously not a good thing," she said darkly, which Zuko took as a "yes".

"All right, I'll leave you two." The Fire Lord nodded to each, and went to speak with the captain about their heading and other matters. Ty Lee looked at Azula. She normally would have grabbed her and squealed "makeover!", but the Azula that she would have grabbed then was not the one she would grab now. She glanced at the convalescent, afraid to look her in the eye.

"C'mon," she said lightly, shrugging her shoulder and motioning for Azula to follow. She led her to the other end of the ship where the passenger cabins were located, opening the door for her and ushering her inside. "Eh, it's not the greatest, but it's cozy, huh?"

The room was red, much like the rest of every Fire Nation ship. Two beds were lined next to each other on the far side of the room, a single candle set on a nightstand between them. There was a wardrobe, also, but no windows. The floor was hardwood with a maroon-carpeted aisle extending from the door to the far end of the room. In the middle of everything a large, metal tub filled to the brim with water and sud bubbles stood. Towels, soaps, and sponges lay in a pile next to it.

Ty Lee accidentally bumped into Azula, who had stopped in the doorway, but the firebender hardly noticed. She gawked at the water-filled basin, every muscle rigid, and looking like a spooked ostrich-horse.

_Water coming every way, can't bend, drowningdrowningdrowningdrowningdrowning..._

"Azula?" Ty Lee looked questioningly at the girl, and longed to touch her and see if she could get her to come back, but knew it better not to. "What's wrong?"

_Drowningdrowningdrowning._

"It's the water," Azula sputtered, the words choking in her throat. She clenched her fists, shut her eyes, and tried to forget that she had even seen the tub. "I... get.... no..."

Ty Lee could see she was becoming incoherent as her lips fluttered but failed to form words. Nearly panicking, Ty Lee stood in front of Azula and dared to grab her by both wrists, shaking her back into reality.

"Hey, hey. Listen. You don't have to go near the tub. I can give you a spongebath. How does that sound?"

"Let go of me!" Azula hissed, snatching her wrists back but not leaving the room entirely. Instead she glared at both the tub and Ty Lee while running a hand through her hair. Feeling it beneath her skin, she realized that she was rather dirty. Cleanliness and perfection were things she had always valued… did she value them now? The convalescent sighed and approached Ty Lee again, her shoulders slumped, defeated. Ty Lee blinked, baffled, but went ahead with undressing her and peeling her of her bandages. Azula was absolutely filthy; dirt-colored rivulets of water dripped down her back and she shivered violently at the slimy trails they left as they stripped away her layers of earthen armor.

Because of her shaking, twitching, and random snarls, Ty Lee was absolutely terrified throughout the entire process. Azula greatly cringed when she began to lather her scalp, growling and sounding feral, and the acrobat feared an attack. She swallowed nervously and asked, "So… h-how's it going?", hoping that conversation would calm her down. She got no response other than a snarl.

"You know, you used to love this," Ty Lee continued, "especially in the Royal Spa. Do you remember that? You let me come with you one time. It was really hot and steamy, and you said it was because we were next to the volcanic springs. There were also a bunch of dragon statues and mermaids and stuff. Oh, and maids too! Can't forget about them, they were the ones that took care of you. I guess I'm your maid now, huh? Because I'm gonna clean you up and give you a haircut like they did. I can't feed you or massage you like they did, but I can do my best. I remember that you made them feed us cherries and grapes, and then…"

She continued to ramble, and gradually, Azula relaxed. She still made the occasional growl as a warning, telling Ty Lee where not to go, and she complied. Within an hour or two Azula was clean, her hair washed and conditioned, combed out, and then cut to a shoulder's length with a diagonal fray of bangs falling over her eyes—the bangs were something Ty Lee couldn't fix. Her nails were polished and filed, and any blisters she still had were re-bandaged. When it came for a new change of clothes, Azula interrupted her, standing up and approaching her beside the wardrobe. Ty Lee closed her mouth.

"I'll get dressed," she stated. Ty Lee glanced at the wardrobe, which had been filled with various Earth Kingdom outfits, for Zuko had said that traveling as peasants would have been the most appropriate for the journey.

"Okay." But I'm going to stay here," she replied, and sat down on one of the beds, folding her legs underneath her.

Azula faced the closet. The colors and styles were all mixed together. She pulled the pieces of clothing out one by one and laid them out on the bed, taking them by the hangers and arranging them into piles. It began as a nervous titter, her hands shaking as she did so, but Ty Lee watched with curiosity as the movement became fluid, more controlled. Though, every time Azula came to a garment of clothing she didn't know where to place she growled and seemed reluctant to either make a new pile or start all over. Finally, she placed them all back in the closet, in some order that Ty Lee couldn't figure out. But she still hadn't chosen what to wear.

"You know, maybe I should help you," Ty Lee spoke up, scooting forward on the mattress and glancing at the assorted wardrobe. "Because this is a little…"

"What's wrong with it?" Azula snapped. Ty Lee was taken aback by her hostility, as if she had suddenly broken the cycle with a simple comment. She held up her hands in defense.

"Whoa, nothing! It's great!" She added a smile for effect, but Azula suddenly snatched her by the arm, nails digging in, breathing down her neck. There was a smirk on her face, but not the calculative-composed-smirk that Ty Lee had known for so long, but the malevolent, murderous kind.

"A-Azula…?" Ty Lee sputtered, and just as quickly as the former princess had grabbed the girl, she let go, as if stung, burned. She stumbled back, holding her head, as if fighting a war inside it, and tripped over her own feet. She managed to grab a chair for support. It was only then did she fall and Ty Lee had to run out to catch her.

"It's okay, I gotcha," she whispered as the convalescent went limp, unconscious. "I guess I shoulda known that you've had a long week."

Ty Lee carried the girl onto a bed, deciding to dress her later, and leave her in her underclothes for the time being. Ty Lee placed a sheet over her and then stood back, worried. She gently touched the claw marks that Azula had made on her arm. She was bleeding, slightly. Looking back, she had only one question in mind: What _was _that?


	13. Chapter 13

S o . There is good news to come. I _finally _maybe sorta hopefully crossing-my-fingers please have the ability to purcahse the part for my laptop that needs fixing. Which makes me happy.

Anyways, note for this chapter... I'm rather satisified with it. There may be a few minor grammatical mistakes, for my beta and I were more interested in the plot, so if you find any, don't be surprised. I watched "The Blue Spirit" yesterday (which is an episode I haven't seen in forever, and therefore had only had the chance to rely on screenshots since then), and realized a small location error, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal. And wow, this looks so much shorter when it's all typed out and not in Microsoft Word... eep.

Oh, I also have a question for you readers. I'm considering changing the summary of the story to something different. I welcome all and any ideas. Help?

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The summer months hadn't quite yet arrived in the northern Earth Kingdom, so the land and wind was frosty and cold. Dirty snow mixed with grainy, colorless sand stretched all along the pine-dotted shore. A thin, winding path led upwards on a steep slope, an ancient sign that was posted next to it illegible. There was, however, the carving of a flower. The edges of the wooden surface were charred black.

Ty Lee leaned forward and squinted at the sign. "What does it say?"

"It's probably the sign to Herbal City," Zuko responded. "Look, see the flower?"

"Ohh… well then. Looks like we got a ways to go, huh?"

"Yeah," Zuko agreed, and tilted his head to the sky. "And we're going to want to get there soon, it looks like it's going to rain. Uh… Azula?"

Azula hadn't been moving, for she had been staring at the sign, but she flinched when her brother spoke. She glared darkly at him, her upper lip curling, but spoke no words. It frightened him. Azula approached, but did not attack. Instead she turned sharply away and began to hike up the path on her own. She didn't bother to notice Ty Lee. Zuko ran to catch up.

"What happened?" Ty Lee whispered to him.

"I don't know."

"You know, she did something like that on the ship."

"What do you mean? Did she hurt you?"

"No, well, kinda… but I'm okay. It's just that it's… really weird. Are you sure that bringing her along was a good idea?"

"She hasn't done anything terribly bad yet. It's why I also made Herbal City our first stop—it's completely abandoned, so she can't hurt anyone. And if worse comes to worse, my uncle gave me some stuff that'll knock her out. But who knows, maybe this could be her shot at a second chance."

Ty Lee laughed. "Do you really think she's _capable _of a second chance? This _is _Azula, y'know."

Zuko looked at her seriously. "Do you?"

Ty Lee's smile faded. "…I want to. But I really don't think it's possible."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't know Azula like I do." Ty Lee hung her head. She knew it was a controversial thing to say to him, but it was true—only she and Mai had been there to witness some of Azula's best (and worst) moments from her childhood. And, Zuko had not been the one to strike her down when her back was turned—and ultimately betray her. Ty Lee didn't know if Azula had even forgiven her yet. The acrobat stopped beside her atop the hill, and was about to question her, but the horror of the sight before them stole her voice.

The land had been ravaged, raped, and screened of human life. Limestone houses stood intact, but black scorches splattered their walls and a layer of ash coated their dilapidated shutters. Carts stood empty in the cobblestoned streets, fences rotted with open, creaking gates, and weeds grew wild, choking off the life of the small gardens. Haunting and isolated from the rest of the Earth Kingdom, the village had obviously been raided. When it had been burned, nobody would have known.

"Do you think there's anybody even down there?" Ty Lee gulped, but Azula had already started walking down the slope.

"I guess we'll find out," Zuko replied, and followed his sister.

The center of the town was no better than it was from afar. It was as if they were walking among ghosts, silent and grave. But Azula had no regard for the dead. She went into a house, came back out, went into another, and repeated the process. She looked into the empty carts and the square's dry fountain.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked, interrupting her, and she cringed.

"Where is she?!" Azula whipped to face the both of them, her hand extended and feet placed in a familiar stance. There was nothing on her face but rage. "Where is she?! You said she was here, you said she was _here_, Zuko!"

"What? No!" The Fire Lord threw up his hands in defense. "No, I didn't say that! I said—"

"Don't _lie _to me!"

"I'm not Azula, I swear. Just calm down, let me explain—"

"And let you attack me? Do you _really _think I'm that stupid?"

And with that she bent down and thrust out her hand, expecting fire to burst forth, but a cloud clap of thunder came instead. She froze, jarred by the sound, and stared up at the sky, rolling with storm clouds. One by one, raindrops began to fall on her head, face, and shoulders. Her rage suddenly disappeared as she retracted her hands.

_Drowningdrowningdrowning. Water in hair, in lungs, underneath fingernails, beneath eyelids, down spine, icy and cold, paralyzing. Closing in darkness, closing up throat, death at the bottom of the ocean, drowningdrowningdrowning._

"Oh no…" Ty Lee whimpered.

"What is it? What's she doing?" Zuko asked.

"Azula's terrified of water."

And at that instant the sky unleashed a heavy downpour, and Azula keeled over, screaming, raindrops burning her like acid. Zuko surged forward and tackled her in a bear hug, snatching her as she kicked and thrashed, howling and snarling, feral. She didn't even notice when he dragged her beneath an awning, pounding her fists against him, head shaking left and right.

"What should we do?!" Ty Lee cried above the sleeting rain. Zuko struggled to pin Azula in place.

"Find help!"

"What kind?! And where?!"

"Any kind, anywhere! Hurry!"

Ty Lee bolted off into the tempest, lightning flashing. Still Azula screamed, even as Zuko pressed her against the wall, uselessly shouting, "It's okay, you're safe! You're dry!"

"Stay away from me! Stay _away from me, you filthy peasant_! I'll get you, I'll get you!"

"Azula! Azula, come on!"

She was hardly even _comprehending _him, much less cooperating with him. Zuko pushed against her and managed to get his arms around hers, clutching her in a tight clinch, and bracing his body against hers.

"I've got you, Azula, you're dry. It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you. There's no water here," Zuko said, and her screams lessened, her hands falling to her sides, breaking into sobs. She leaned into his shoulder, and just as he loosened his grip to comfort her, she shoved him away.

"Stay _away _from me, Zuko!" she shouted, recoiling from him. She stumbled away and sat down against the wall, still beneath the dry awning. "Stay away from me, stay away from me."

He stared, but didn't move. "Okay."

The storm didn't last long, about five minutes more. A thin shaft of sunlight broke here and there through the clouds, and the rain dissipated. Ty Lee, slick with mud, breathlessly ran back to them.

"There's a house up on the hill over there. An old woman says she can help us," she panted, and briefly glanced at Azula. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I'm _fine_." The convalescent stood. "We should just go before it storms again."

Zuko nodded. "Good idea."

The path up to the house was a tall staircase made of stone. Climbing up, Azula suppressed a shudder, thunder rumbling in the sky above. In the distance the clouds were swirling and turning black. At the top, they could see quite a view of the Earth Kingdom and a river not far away. Ty Lee went up and knocked on the door, and an old woman answered.

"Oh, come inside dearies, come inside. My senses tell me that there's a storm a'comin' tonight." She ushered them inside. Her house was more of a nursery, plants growing out of ceramic pots and various herbs lying out on a wooden table. As soon as they were inside, Azula tensed, and Zuko snatched her wrist.

"Let go of—"

"If you really want answers you'll let me do the talking."

"Why should I?"

"Because I know what questions to ask."

They stared hard at one another for a moment. Then Azula snatched her wrist back, scowling. "All right, do what you want. I don't even want to look for _her_, little Zuzu."

He allowed the insult to slide as Azula went and sat down in a wooden chair. Zuko busied himself and picked up a knife by some bright orange radishes, examining it. He looked at the old woman and asked, "You're an herbalist?"

She nodded and smiled. "I am, always and forever. It was my grandmother's passion."

"But why all the way out here?" Ty Lee asked, poking a flower. "There's nobody around."

"Oh, I can't leave the plants. They've been in my family forever, it wouldn't be right to just abandon them. And besides, all of you are here, so right now, I'm not alone."

"Hehe, I guess you're right!"

Ty Lee and the Herbalist talked idly back and forth as Zuko walked around the flora-filled room, room that seemed similar to a shop he had seen sometime during his exile. He then spied a familiar flower, one like he had seen in the store—a single white lotus plant. It stood in a small pot on a lone pedestal amongst a carpet of shrubs and bushes, appearing brave amongst the greenery. He walked over and brushed his fingers against the delicate, ivory edges, and glanced over his shoulder at the old woman. "You wouldn't happen to know which way the wind blows, would you?"

"Whichever way the Spirits see fit, man has no power," the Herbalist replied, as if reciting an ancient poem. Zuko walked up to her and bowed respectfully.

"It's nice to meet you. My uncle is a member of the Lotus, and he told me it would be a good idea to come here if I was looking for someone."

"Is that so?" the woman said with interest. "Well then, who are you looking for? Many wandering faces have come here like you have."

"It's my mother. Her name is Ursa, and she probably passed through her a couple of years ago. You might not remember her, but she had black hair and gold eyes, like--"

"Like that girl?" The Herbalist pointed at Azula, who still sat in her chair. Thankfully, the convalescent hadn't been paying attention—a white cat was twisting itself around her ankles. She kicked it, but much to her annoyance, it returned. Zuko took a cautious step closer to the old woman.

"That's my sister... she's a little messed-up," he explained softly, turning his shoulder so Azula couldn't read his lips. "She's unstable. You should probably be careful with the topic of our mother around her. But we were thinking that my mother could help her."

The Herbalist observed Azula. The cat had somehow managed to sit in the girl's lap. Ty Lee was in a mad fit of giggles. "How unstable is she?"

"We had to perform a jasmine ceremony."

"Hmm. I just may have the ingredients for some medicine to go along with that."

"Really? I mean, that'd be great!"

"Anything for the survival of another. What is her name?"

"Azula."

"Ah, Azula. How beautiful, how foreign." The Herbalist swept her way over to her. "I see that you've taken a liking to Miyuki. He's a sweet fellow, a little clingy, but still sweet."

"He won't leave me alone." Azula frowned and shoved the cat off of her once more. She sat in her seat and glared at the Herbalist. She looked undoubtedly like a pouting child. "What do you want?"

"I want to help you, of course. Come into the back room with me; or—I have some medicine that will make you feel better."

"I'm fine, you old hag."

"Just trust me." She smiled, her wrinkles covering her eyes. "Tell me child, do you bend?"

"Do I _what_?" There was venom in her voice before it turned dark. "I used to."

"Then this medicine will help."

Keeping a trained eye on the Herbalist, Azula followed her into the back room. The moment the door closed, Azula grabbed her and snarled, pressing her up against the wall.

"Will it _really _give me my bending back? You better not lie to me, _peasant_."

The Herbalist was unafraid. "Yes, in due time. All I have to do is mix in a couple of herbs," she said calmly. "It will give you your bending back, among other things."

Azula released her. She suddenly seemed _very _interested. "What kind of things?"

"All sorts of things, my dear." The Herbalist shrugged, and went to her wooden table. She began to chop herbs and mash them in a wooden bowl with a pestle. "Lost dreams, forgotten memories, abandoned feelings. Things that most people long for all their lives."

"And just how does it do that?"

"Haha, well if you're thinking it's magic, it's certainly not. It's just the plants, and the Spirits of the Plants. There's a difference, you know."

"So... do you think it could bring me my crown?"

The old woman paused, considering it. "Well, I don't know about that. It's more spiritual than anything else. Here, drink this tea with it."

Azula frowned when the woman handed her the cup.

"What's wrong?" The Herbalist asked.

"I hate jasmine," Azula said, but she tilted the cup into her mouth and drank it anyways. If it could give her what she wanted—what she _needed—_then so be it. It would only bring her one step closer to her mother.


	14. Chapter 14

S e r i o u s apologies about the late update, it's been nearly three weeks. As for this chapter, I thought it was rather decent, but my beta has me worried about the IC-ness about the last scene (which she hasn't replied to me on), for it may or may not be plausible. I'm crossing my fingers that yes, it is plausible, for the scene is told in more of Ty Lee's POV than Azula's, and therefore, if Azula's planning anything, we don't know. Even _I _am well aware of the position Azula's in, and betrayal isn't an easy topic. Also don't think she won't revert back to it. What hurts, _hurts_.

** Phoenix251: **Wow. I am absolutely stunned by your review. _Stunned_. I haven't had a review like that in _ages_, it really makes me realize the beauty of the story. Thank you so, so, so much for reading this, and I hope that it inspires you to write just as creative and entertaining Avatar fanfiction. To answer your question, yes, there will be bending, albeit gradual. More action and stuffs will come with time, especially when they get to Ba Sing Se. I hope you stick with me and continue to read, just like all the rest of my loyal reviewers. However, you're opinion still leaves me amazed. Thank you.

* * *

They spent the night in the Herbalist's abode, the storm outside preventing further travel until the late afternoon. Nobody spoke, really—the Herbalist tended her plants and Ty Lee helped, Zuko overlooked a map and a pile of documents on the floor, and Azula stared out of the window, the rain gently falling. She sipped more of the Herbalist's medicine, though the taste was bitter on her tongue. However, if it restored her bending, then so be it. No one else understood what it was like to lose it.

The day before in the town square, it was impossible for her brother or Ty Lee to comprehend the fear that had rippled through her when no fire had shot from her palms. Just the thought of it now made her tense and she drank the medicine with vigor, swallowing her fear, her weakness. She was exposed, and wouldn't tolerate it. She _couldn't _tolerate it. If they found Ursa, she would have to be strong, and show no sign of vulnerability; that meant having firebending. To not have any of these qualities would lead to failure, and stay forever in her agenda as a scar.

The wind blew in her face, a few raindrops flecking her cheek. She instinctively flinched and inwardly cursed. It was just water, yet every time it touched her, she fled from it like it would burn her skin off. It made her heart skip a beat and when she would blink, the image of a water-filled arena flooded her vision, _drowning_. Azula shuddered at the thought and glanced at her brother, who kneeled over a map of the Earth Kingdom. He seemed to be studying it heavily, rubbing his chin, and frequently referencing his documents. Who would have thought that he would have been such a leader? With her following?

"Where are we going next?" she asked, leaning forward over his shoulder. Zuko shifted out of the way so she could see, his finger pointed to the map.

"According to the Herbalist, there's a river about a mile from here. There are probably a couple of boats there we can rent. We can ride the river into the Angelfish Inlet, and on the other side is a Harbor that can take us to Ba Sing Se. From there..."

"We can head to the Hu Xin Provinces. And then we can get some answers," Azula replied.

Zuko blinked. "Yeah..."

The medicine had apparently, overnight, done her wonders—her eyes were brighter, she was much more interactive (if having a normal conversation with him was considered "interactive"), and seemed less likely to snap at the mention of her mother. By the way it sounded to Zuko, she almost _wanted _to find her. She still involuntarily twitched at random times, but that could have easily been ignored. It was better than howling or screaming her head off. He smiled as he explained their future path of travel, reminded of when they were younger. As kids, before Azula could firebend, she had always wanted to know what he was doing, where he was going. She followed him around and copied him; that is, until imitation became the best form of flattery to their father. Then she surpassed him and used what he had taught her against him. Perhaps, though, now she was trying to turn over a new leaf, to start anew; they might end up with a relationship that was like they had when they were kids, before she had been able to bend. Maybe she would also follow him in a path of redemption.

Azula sat back and finished what medicine was left in the bowl before glancing outside. It was still raining, but it was hardly as bad as the day before. The black clouds were gone and they were now a light lavender, sunlight peeking through like holes in a patchwork quilt. Azula stood, setting the bowl down on a table. "Let's leave."

Zuko paused, and looked up out the window. "Now? But it looks like it's still raining. We should probably wait a little longer."

"And spend another night on a dirt floor? In case you've forgotten you're not some peasant anymore. And neither am I."

Well, it appeared that her talent for delegation was returning also. Zuko gave in and rolled up the map. He figured that it would have been easier to travel with an Azula that wanted to travel versus one that didn't. He sighed heavily and stacked his documents in his bag. "All right. We'll want to hurry, in case it rains again."

The Herbalist spoke up. "You're leaving? Let me give you some ponchos. Do you have money for the boat?"

"We do, don't worry," Zuko replied. The old woman handed them all cloth ponchos that were water-resistant, and then opened the door for them to leave. Ty Lee smiled and waved on her way out, but Azula halted and snatched the Herbalist's arm, yanking her close.

"Give me that medicine, hag. Some I can take with me," she hissed.

"I thought you would say that," the Herbalist sighed, somewhat downtrodden. She reached into her pocket and handed the convalescent a leather pouch. "All you need is one to get you through the day."

Azula seized the pouch. "What if I take more than that? Tell me, will I get my bending sooner?"

"Azula, c'mon!" Ty Lee shouted from the middle of the staircase. Azula glowered at the old woman, who didn't and wouldn't supply an answer. She just had the twinkle in her eyes of someone wise, and Azula finally let go and walked down the steps. The Herbalist stood at the top of the hill, watching as the trio disappeared down the road to the river's docks. Little did anyone know that she had lied to Azula—the only reason the "medicine" was "working" was simply because the girl believed it. It was nothing more than jasmine and white lotus juice.

It did not take them long to reach the river. There was an array of boats, just like the Herbalist had said, fashioned out of wood from most of the trees around them. Zuko went up and paid to rent one. While doing so, Ty Lee stood out on one of the many docks, watching the fish swim in the clear water below. She looked over her shoulder to find that Azula was standing a good way away from the shore's edge. She was staring carefully at the docks, perhaps calculating whether or not they would break when she walked on them. Ty Lee watched in silence as she saw the girl dip her hand into her pocket and pull out what looked like a flower petal, placing it on her tongue. She then walked up the ramp to the boat with ease and nonchalance. Ty Lee followed in suit.

"Wow, Azula, that medicine really helped you, didn't it?" she noted.

It was a wonder for the rest of the day to Ty Lee and Zuko what exactlythe Herbalist had done to the girl that had thrown a fit about it pouring the day before. They kept an eye out as she stood at the front of the boat, gazing at the water without a trace of fear, just staring at her reflection. It baffled them, really.

Though it seemed like a definite improvement, one could have never been too careful, and this one was Zuko. Even when she talked better and responded easier, he could sense that something was still off, still with about his sister. If the Herbalist had medicated her, he wondered, how long would that medicine last? Was it permanent or temporary? What if the medicine _was _only temporary and Azula returned to her insanity? He couldn't perform the jasmine ceremony again. And if she was to be let loose and attack someone in public, he didn't know if he would be able to put her down again, especially if she gained her firebending back. If he would have to, it would require the strength to kill her... and that was something he did not hope to do.

The sun had begun to set, the sky melting into an amber, smeared gold and orange. It was as if the heavens were on fire, falling down and turning black as the sun disappeared beyond the mountainous horizon; the edge of the northern Earth Kingdom and the entrance gates to the southern. Ty Lee silently watched the landscape change as they traveled onwards, the forests easing into meadows, and then those meadows spreading to flat, faceless cliffs, their sheer drops plummeting into the sea. By nightfall the inlet was on either side of them, their guide the full, guardian moon. She stared at her own silver reflection as Zuko and Azula retired for the night, the waves beneath her licking the edges of the boat, the waters a deep ocean blue, darkening when something large passed underneath them. She instantly thought of the Unagi and hoped that whatever creature was swimming around was not as harmful. One of her tests as a Kyoshi Warrior had been to call the Unagi and stick a charm to his crest, a symbol of her bravery and relationship with the sea monster. Now, however, she didn't know if she still had that bravery.

She didn't know if Azula had forgiven her. And Ty Lee wondered if she would ever be forgiven—there was hardly a time the girl had said sorry without being facetious or having some sort of malicious plan behind it. Which was why, thinking the thoughts she did, she jumped in surprise when the convalescent appeared beside her.

"Oh, hi Azula." Ty Lee, smiling weakly, took a step away as if she were afraid to touch her. The moonlight, one could see the claw marks on her bare arm. She didn't want such a thing to happen again. "I thought you went to bed."

"I don't like to sleep," Azula replied, staring at the lunar sphere, bathed in moonlight, and hiding Ty Lee in her shadow. There was a soft breeze so it pushed the hair out of her eyes, but a strand of hair rested on her nose; a perpetual lock that would constantly mar her perfection. She raised a finger and pushed it out of the way, tucking it behind her ear. The way she stood, looking so relaxed, reminded Ty Lee of the weekend they had spent on Ember Island, but her mind and expression were strangely out of place.

"Do you like your haircut?" the acrobat asked.

"Do you remember how we had been building the drill around here, Ty Lee?" Azula questioned, a different subject entirely. Ty Lee paused, taken aback.

"Um... haha, yeah, I remember. Because I kept telling Mai that it looked like a giant—"

"I didn't think that I would ever come here again." Her voice was quiet. She seemed to be reflecting on the memory, just like her reflection in the water. That had only been a year ago, a year ago when she had had everything. And now what did she have? Her fist clenched in anger at the feeling of such self-pity. "I thought our plan was infallible. I thought we could break through that wall."

"You also thought you'd be in prison forever," Ty Lee said with a lighter tone, hoping to ease the mood. Azula laughed callously.

"Can you _believe _we failed? All because of that stupid Avatar?"

Ty Lee laughed nervously, though didn't know what exactly Azula was laughing about. It was better to go along with it. "Haha, yeah. And that mud-sludge-stuff that exploded got everywhere. It took forever to get out of my hair."

"I could hardly stand in that."

"Uh-huh, when you came back you were covered in it!"

"So were you, and you smelled absolutely horrible afterwards."

"Ha, right, and you didn't. It was only Mai that didn't get dirty!" Ty Lee giggled, but Azula's laugh cut short and her smile instantly disappeared. She gripped the wooden rail of the ship. Ty Lee felt a pang of remorse and looked away.

"I'm sorry," Ty Lee said softly, waiting a moment before continuing, "I was really worried about you, y'know. When Zuko said that you were dying, I..." She choked up. She was _still _worried, worried that Azula would completely lose her mind, kill herself, kill someone else. She blinked her tears away but the lump in her throat remained. "I'm sorry, Azula, I really am. For everything."

"You tried apologizing to me before," Azula stated coldly, twitching out of habit. "_Why _are you doing it _again_?"

"I... I don't know. I j-just want to be your friend again."

Azula cringed terribly at the words. "And _why_?" she sputtered. "_Why _would you want to be friends with a... with a _monster_?"

Ty Lee felt tears slipping from her eyes, and she could feel her heart bleed when the girl spoke.

"_Why _would you want to be _friends _with a _monster_?" Azula snarled again. "Tell me, Ty Lee, _why_?"

"I-I don't know, Azula! We've always been friends, and I hate to be like this, and I miss it when we were friends, and I just wanna be them again. Things aren't the same they'll never be the same!"

"And you think they _will _be the same if we become friends again?"

"No... I mean, I don't know! I don't know! I just... please, Azula, please. Being friends is all I'm asking for, I never thought of you as a monster, I still don't. Never."

Ty Lee bent over crying. She couldn't think of anything else to say, for it was like when she had snuck out to visit the convalescent in prison again, but this time, there were no iron bars to separate them. It was one thing to not talk about a subject altogether and be hurt, but it was another to entirely reject it and be stabbed right in the chest. Azula was cruel, she had always been, and Ty Lee knew this, had known that Azula _was _a monster, but she hadn't cared. She had always been attracted to the girl who had everything—royalty, talent, beauty, respect—everything that Ty Lee had always yearned for when she was a little girl. But now when she did care that her _best friend _was a _monster_, she beat herself up for it, cursed herself. She could have lived that life she had dreamed of instead of following around someone that flaunted it. All of the time, the effort, and the years spent had been wasted...

"Do you really think that?"

Ty Lee looked up. "Wh-What?"

Azula was standing at the railing again, strangely calm. Her face was impassive, emotionless; something that reminded Ty Lee a lot of Mai. Her normally gleaming topaz eyes were empty, forlorn. "Do you really think... that I'm not a monster?"

Ty Lee was silent. She slowly stood up, cautious.

"I know I'm a terrible person, Ty Lee. There's no need to lie to me, I know the truth. Even my own mother thought I was heartless. Maybe I am. People always praised me, but I knew they were lying. If you were my friend you wouldn't lie to me."

The acrobat blinked. Did Azula _want _her to call her a monster? Ty Lee felt like she was being led into a trap, as if she were being bribed to gain their friendship back again. It wasn't right. "But Azula, I'm not ly—"

Azula faced her, and Ty Lee had to look away, her heart bleeding all over again. She knew that Azula was looking right through her, into her bare soul.

"Okay," she whimpered. "You are a monster. You are a monster."

Azula was quiet and turned to gaze at the sea again. Ty Lee sniffled, not knowing if she had made the convalescent feel better or worse. There was nothing but the sound of lapping waves and her sobbing when Azula asked, "So you're a Kyoshi Warrior now? I thought you said you didn't like their outfits, that green wasn't your color or something."

Ty Lee paused. Azula was... not angry, not vengeful. Was she playing games again? Or did that mean...?

"Um, yeah." Ty Lee wiped her nose and tried to smile. "I am. They-they taught me a lot of stuff, y'know."

"Really now? It was always so difficult to move in those frivolous costumes."

When Ty Lee glanced at Azula, there was a familiar smirk across her lips. And Ty Lee, knowing then that the things between them had been repaired, felt her doubts vanish. This was the Azula she knew, the one she didn't mind being around. The one that wasn't a monster. She laughed.

"Yeah, I guess they are kinda stupid."


	15. Chapter 15

I am obliged to once again, thank my beta for the awesomesauce editing of this work-in-progress. She is absolutely amazing, and has edited this more than any of you can imagine. Not to mention, she's stuck with me for this long, and I'm very happy with it. So yay! Clap for mah beta buddy!

* * *

The Full Moon Harbor was the most crowded it had ever been.

Everywhere there were people—merchants, artisans, farmers, ex-soldiers, travelers, traders, craftsmen—all packed in the stone cove, jammed in line at the docks and waiting to be shipped like hippo-cows to Ba Sing Se. Families had set out campsites, counting the passing days until it came time for them to leave. The place was almost like a city itself, with the men gambling, the women washing clothes, and the children chasing animals. Merchants went about to spread and sell food, namely cabbages, trying to feed the masses. But they did not seem to have enough customers, as the poverty that was everywhere forced people to buy only the bare minimum of rice and tea. It was as if all the poor of the Earth Kingdom had gathered in one place for no reason.

"How are we expected to navigate through this?" Azula asked as the trio got off the boat. Nobody answered, their eyes wandering over the hundreds and hundreds of people.

"It was never like this when I was here," Zuko commented.

"Me neither," added Ty Lee. They looked curiously at her. "A while back ago, during and right after the war, they had all the Kyoshi Warriors come help security and stuff. That was five months ago, though. I guess we shoulda stayed."

"Yes, you should have. We should probably get tickets," Azula replied.

"Oooh! Then I'll do it! Because I worked here I'll bet they'll let us leave faster!" Ty Lee grinned and bolted off into the waves of people. Zuko and Azula stood, watching her braid bobble through the crowd until it was completely out of sight. It was the first time the two had been alone together in a long time and was not at all comfortable.

"Let's sit down somewhere," Zuko suggested. "It'll take a while to get the tickets."

Azula frowned. "Among _these _people?"

It appeared that her displeasure for the common folk was returning as well. He sighed. "Would you rather not sit at all?"

"Fine. Just not by the water."

He nodded. Together the siblings walked along the stone wall, searching for a bench. But it seemed that there were hardly any seats, and thus had to venture up the stairs to the more secluded areas. They managed to find a spot where there weren't many people; it appeared that most of the travelers were unaware of the high-rises. The two sat down beside one another in silence. A crab-gull cried as it flew by.

"Are you hungry?" Zuko asked, ever intolerable of the quiet. "I'm thinking of getting some food."

"I'm fine," Azula replied, purposely avoiding eye contact.

"You should eat."

"Then I'll _eat_, since it's obvious that you're not giving me a _choice_."

". . . I'm sorry."

"Just go get the food."

"Can I trust you by yourself?"

"You're the one that's leaving," she said pointedly. He hesitated for a moment, and stood up. But before he left, he turned and looked seriously at her.

"You're going to behave?"

"Like I said, you're not giving me much of a choice by abandoning me up here."

Although he felt conflicted by her comment, the Fire Lord turned his back and descended down the stairs, leaving Azula alone.

She sighed, not moving from the spot. Though the opportunity of running away had presented itself, now was not the time. Ironic, since she had always pledged to run the moment her cage door had been opened. It wouldn't have been that hard to navigate around the Earth Kingdom, her knowledge of its various places and towns slowly returning as the day dragged on, and it was highly plausible for her to flee. She looked down at the massive crowds, the large docks, and the expansive wasteland beyond the harbor; it would have been simple to blend in with them. But despite that, she knew that she would have been different, would have never fully blended in. The commoner's life was not hers. Royalty was. And if she did ever somehow lead a commoner's life, it would make her a traitor to her country. Like her mother.

The thought of Ursa still caused a burning sensation in her chest, still made her shudder. She needed to get a grip, reason with herself, just as she always had. Focus on the goal. Concentrate, and get her bending back. Maybe then she could run away.

Azula ran a hand along the bandages that were tightly wound around her left arm. They were there to cover up the blisters, the burns. She had had her firebending at some point; she had no doubt of that. But why couldn't she bend _now_?! She had to gain it back, or else all-out _fail _herself for being unable to carry out her final mission, the last request. Closing her eyes, she could still hear the order in her head, the casual remark bestowed upon her like a sword handed to another in battle. She could even remember the heat of the flames on her face. . .

"Hey c'mon! There's nobody here, hurry up!" A young boy called to his parents at the top of the stairs. He looked back over and saw Azula. "Well, almost nobody. But it's practically empty!"

"There's no reason to rush. Give your father some time," the mother said as she reached the top and stood beside her son. The dad came coughing and wheezing up the steps, a couple of brown hairs grey in his beard. The woman laid a gentle hand on him, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I just need to sit down." The man sighed and rested on one of the front benches. His family sat down beside him, the boy swinging his legs because they didn't touch the ground. Full of energy, he popped up again. His father saw and called, "Come sit back down. Don't bother anyone, and don't wander off."

"I'm just taking a look around," the boy replied, ignoring his father's wishes. He approached the stone railing, leaning over and at staring out at the vast wasteland, and somewhere beyond it, the Si Wong Desert. Little villages, inhabited or not, were dotted all along the outskirts. "_Wow_! Hey mom, dad, do you think we could see our house from here?"

His father went into another coughing fit, but the boy didn't seem to mind. Instead he turned away from the view and focused attention on the only other person in the area that wasn't his family—Azula.

"Hi, I'm Li!" He smiled cheesily at her. There was significantly large gap between his front teeth. "What's your name?"

She looked up and glowered at him. Upper lip curling, she spoke, though it was more of a growl. "If you know what's good for you _peasant_, you'll go back to your _dear mother_."

Li blinked. "What if I don't know what's good for me?"

"Then I'll kill you."

A look of fear came across his face, brown eyes becoming huge, smile instantly fading. "Wh-what? Why would you do that? I haven't done anything!"

She didn't answer, just leered at him, predatory. And then she very slowly stood up, towering over the little boy, who stood shocked and frozen. She clacked her fingernails together, one hand stealthily extending for--

"Azula!"

_Total disruption._ The dragon hastily turned away from her prey, and Li went off crying to his parents. About to go into another bout of anger, Azula looked up and saw Ty Lee at the top of the stairs. She glared at the convalescent as she approached, the tickets clenched in her hand, glancing at the now-crying Li with his family. They looked upon Azula with fear and revenge.

"What happened?!" Ty Lee demanded. Azula turned her back.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, Azula. I know something happened."

"_Nothing happened_."

Zuko returned and saw that there was an obvious problem. He set three bowls of food down on the benches, turning his attention to Ty Lee. "What's going on?"

"_She _threatened my son!" the boy's mother yelled. Zuko's eyebrows shot up as he instantly recognized the woman and her son, who turned away, scowling—it was the family that he had helped and their son, Li, when he had been traveling alone. He glanced at Ty Lee, who seemed to be calming Azula down. Zuko then walked over to the family, his head down.

"I'm sorry. She's... she's my sister. She's mentally ill."

"You mean _insane_," Gansu snapped, scrutinizing him. He then noticed the familiar scar on the left side of his face. "Wait a minute. I _know _you."

Zuko's face went bright red, almost as red as his scar, and he messed his hair, hoping that it would disguise his complexion. It was one thing to be recognized as the Fire Lord and another to be recognized as a full-blown traitor to the people he had wanted to protect. "No you don't. I apologize that my sister hurt your son, I'll be going."

"What do you mean you knew him?" Sela looked at her husband. He used his cane to come to a wobbly stand.

"He's that young man that helped us fend off those bullies in town last year. He's a _firebender_."

"You are?" Li poked his head into the conversation. Zuko froze, torn in how to act, and finally decided that acting like someone he wasn't would have been the more difficult route to take. He sighed heavily and nodded.

"Yeah... I am."

The family stared at him, and he could feel himself shrinking smaller and smaller. As easily as he could he snuck back to his own group, feeling ashamed. They hadn't forgotten what he had done. He looked sadly at his sister, who now sitting contentedly on the bench again. He handed a bowl of food to her.

"They didn't have anything but cabbage." His tone was dismal as he sat with his own bowl, leaning forward, his back to the family. "Sorry."

Azula poked at the pale leaf with a chopstick, and struggled not to make a face. "It's... all right, I suppose. What did they say?"

There were rare moments when she genuinely sounded concerned for him. This was one of them. He shook his head.

"It doesn't matter."

"Is their kid okay?" Ty Lee asked softly.

"I don't know."

"At least they're not complaining about it, are they?" Azula questioned.

"I don't know."

"But it could be worse, right?" Ty Lee said.

"I don't _know_!" Zuko shouted, exploding and throwing his cabbage bowl across the room. He stomped over to one of the ledges, fuming and looking out at the Earth Kingdom.

Azula poked at the cabbage again. She then set the bowl down and stood up, glancing at her brother. It would be pointless to talk to him—he was throwing a fit over nothing, like a little child. She walked up to the family instead.

"Can't you just leave us alone?" Sela snapped.

"My brother would like to apologize," Azula replied. They glared at her. "He... we've been traveling for a long time."

"And what makes you think you're any better than him?" Gansu frowned, a hand laid on his son's shoulder. "He said you're crazy."

Any formality or friendliness the convalescent had been attempting disappeared in that single moment. Just as they glowered at her, she glowered at them specifically the boy, and spat, "I hope you die."

She then swiftly turned and found a place next to Zuko.

"Well?" he huffed.

"Let's just get out of here. People like _them _shouldn't mean anything to you, I don't see why you bother. Because they'll hate you for no reason."

Zuko glanced at her. "Are you talking about them or..."

Azula met his eyes. "Who do you think?"

She then turned and walked down the stairs. Zuko, sighing, stood up and motioned to Ty Lee to follow him and his sister down. The two walked away, leaving behind an angry family and three bowls of uneaten cabbage.


	16. Chapter 16

****

M e h . I'm too exhausted to make an author's note. I love my beta. Enjoy.

Oh. And once again, I borrow a couple of lines from the show. So I don't own them.

--

Edit: Reformatted.

* * *

Lying on her side, she watched the flames dance and twist, snap and pop with unbridled life. Flashing and flickering different shades of orange, red, and yellow, they made tall black shadows on the pale stone around them. She could not hear the noise of the crowd below in the harbor, for she was completely enthralled by the fire, enveloped in it, filled with it. It was the inferno of any firebender, its amber light hot and fluctuating, blurring everything else around her, until it became an obscure object that brought back a memory she had long forgotten.

She remembered the first time she had been in the Fire Lord's chamber. She must have been around four, because it was a memory so far back that even if she was completely sane it was doubtful that she would have been able to recall it easily.

She had gone with her father. His hand had been laying on her shoulder, whether for reassurance or a threat to be on her best behavior she didn't know. But he had kept her close and his grip made certain that she would act as he wanted her to, like the perfect little girl she was. . . . . . .

_. . . . . . . "We have not had a directly-born Princess in some while," Ozai explained. "The Fire Lord will not know what to expect other than your upmost formality."_

_Azula bowed her head as they stopped before the royal chamber doors. "Yes, Father."_

_"Good." Ozai smiled. "Now let's hope _this _goes over better than it did with your brother."_

_The regal doors opened like the jaws of a beast, spilling a triangle of light into the significantly dark room. Instantly, a wave of sweltering heat washed over the two. Azula wanted to put a hand in front of her. The doors closed behind them, cutting off the light and making the long line of fire at the far end of the room the only thing she could look at. Beyond the wall of fire something shiny and gold glimmered, like liquid flames. As they passed the red marble pillars and crimson tapestries emblazoned with the Fire Nation's symbol, Azula faintly wondered where the Fire Lord was. It was much too dark to see anything besides the wall of flame._

_Ozai suddenly stopped. He prostrated himself and Azula copied, their noses practically touching the mahogany floor. There was nothing but the crackle and great heartbeat of the fire. Sweat prickled on the back of the little Princess's neck. How long would they have to stay bowing, like commoners? Her back hurt, and she felt filthy. She hated staying still. Finally, Ozai spoke._

_"Father. I have come here to formally introduce my Princess Azula to you. I promise you that she will be successful and respectful in her royal position."_

_Ozai reclined, finally sitting up straight and back on his knees. Azula did the same and breathed out of her nose, relieved, but now had the responsibility to sit utterly still as she stared up at the great wall of fire. From down below, it looked much more intimidating. It also allowed her to see more of the gold glimmer she had seen from afar—it turned out to be the Fire Lord and his throne, hidden in the inferno. She could not see his face, merely his dark, mysterious silhouette. Upon his head was the Fire Lord's crown, a shining star illuminating out from the dark. Azula rose to a stand, hands clasped behind her back, feet together, and her head bowed. The elite subordinate._

_"You called for me, Father?" Azula spoke. From behind the curtain of flames, Ozai nodded._

_"Take a knee, Azula. What I have for you will be lengthy."_

_She obeyed the Fire Lord's command. She would obey his every word, his every law, his every order—it was from him that she had learned to execute such merciless commands herself. He would be the only man that she would ever follow._

_"Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure. I have a task for you."_

_She looked up, eyes shimmering topaz and amber, prideful and ready. A smirk creased her lips, a look of interest._

_"And what would that be?" Azula purred. It was Ozai's turn to smirk._

_"You know that the day of the eclipse draws near. The Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom are aligning to strike us when we are down. I will need the protection that no guard can offer, and one that has the skill to misdirect, to fabricate, to __**kill.**__ I have considered you for the duty."_

_"Fire Lord Azula?" the Princess replied, blinking in surprise. "It does seem appropriate."_

_Ozai nodded, his fingers twining together. "Yes. If there is one thing Zuko wants to do other than gain his petty honor back, it would be to look for your mother."_

_Azula's eyes narrowed. "Our _mother_?"_

_"Yes. And if he succeeds in this ordeal, he will ruin the Fire Nation and create much dishonor and humility. It would be a disgrace to the royal bloodline. __**Me. You.**__"_

_"Then what is it you wish me to do?...Father."_

_"He will likely _not _succeed in this quest. But if he does…" Ozai leaned forward, his face peering out of the fire, like a dragon emerging from its flaming den. "I want you to __**kill her**_._" . . . . . . ._

. . . . . . .When she opened her eyes the fire that had been blazing when she had fallen asleep was nothing more than a withering pile of ashes and smoldering embers. Her heart pounding her throat, Azula sat up, the world around her dark spare the silver light of the moon. The world was silent. Zuko and Ty Lee were sleeping not far away on bamboo mats. Azula stood and stared out for a minute or so at the open landscape of the Earth Kingdom before turning away to slowly descend the stairs.

The Harbor, due to the sudden increase in public traffic and whatever was happening on the other side of the bay, had employed quite a number of guards to keep the place in order and scout out possible criminals. In their eyes, Azula was just another passenger waiting to board, dressed in dingy Earth Kingdom robes and carrying a lank expression. Just like all the other _peasants_. There were smaller crowds at night, most of them catching the red-eye to Ba Sing Se, but they looked shadier than the daylight characters. The suspicious mass shared the darkened glower that Azula had as she searched for a place she could be alone. There were so many of them—and they made her sick; agoraphobic, yearning for a secluded area. She needed to get away, but not too far away, otherwise they would think she had escaped. If they thought she escaped, they would send soldiers after her, and she would be locked away again. Again.

Azula veered off to an area that had been like the one she, Zuko, and Ty Lee were sleeping in, but on the opposite side of the harbor. When she reached the top of the stairs, she found that it was equally as empty as the other area. The stone floor was cold beneath her bare feet, but the air was hot and dry, as if there had been a fire smoking all day. Azula breathed it in, fully and filling her lungs, imagining her chi igniting. It was the perfect spot for what she needed to do.

_Firebend_.

Before she shifted into a simple stance, Azula reached into her pocket, pulling out and opening up the leather pouch the Herbalist had given her the other day. Packed inside were clusters of small, white lotus petals that had been previously soaked in the "medicine" that was supposed to cure her. If they were supposed to help her bend again, it made sense to take a couple, right? They tasted like perfume and she had to grind them with her teeth to swallow, but she could instantly feel the change, like when she had last taken it on the boat ride to the harbor. Every part of her now felt ready to do something, and with this newfound adrenaline Azula moved her feet into position, raising her hands, and smirking to herself. Confident that her bending would return to her in no time, thrusting her hand out like lightning and…

…Got nothing. Her smirk instantly disappeared, brow furrowing. That wasn't what was supposed to happen. She made the move again, but still, nothing. Perhaps it took a couple of minutes for the medicine to kick in. Yes, that seemed plausible. Without trying to bend, Azula went through a number of forms to get her blood pumping and help distribute the medicine throughout her body, hoping to accelerate its effects. She was quick and silent, feet swishing in the air and on the floor at invisible opponents, striking with deadly accuracy, just as she had been taught. Even if her enemy did not exist she was precise. Her father would have wanted her to be. Ozai had raised her to be fast and strict, reaching her foe before they could get to her, and even if it was a simple drill she could not disappoint him.

After a couple more movements she rested, but not for long. Too long and the chi flow would have slowed and she would have to get worked up all over again. This time when she went into a stance, her feet wide and her hands in place, she could feel the hotness electrify her veins, pulsating beneath her flesh, writhing and ready to be unleashed. She lifted a foot and reverse-kicked out hard, heel jutting into an invisible opponent, leg straight as an iron rod, the fire racing from her toes out.

But it was hardly anything. Almost nothing at all. What was that about? Azula kicked again, punched again, but even though she could feel the fire inside it refused to materialize, as if someone had blocked her chi gates. That wasn't right, that wasn't right, with or without the medicine. Hurriedly Azula went through more moves, her attacks becoming more aggressive and out of balance. Once, her foot struck one of the stone benches, causing an awful pain to reverberate in her ankle. She bent down and clutched it, growling, overwrought with a growing panic. But soon she was up again, trying to bend, trying to get fire to come out of her, trying so hard not to fail. What if her father saw her the way she was? How could she fulfill his mission without being able to bend? She had to get something, just _had _to. She tried out every technique she knew, but not a lick of flame appeared for her.

It was nearly sunrise when she stopped, head spinning as the sky above bloomed into a yawning green. She glanced at the horizon, the sun just brimming over the waters, the shadows of the day just beginning to appear. The rays stretched towards her as she stood on the outcrop, her fingers curled over the stone ledge. She retracted one of her hands and stared at the open palm. _Useless_. She clenched it into a fist, grinding her teeth, and found that she had to close her eyes to keep the tears from coming. How stupid, stupid, stupid. Even with the medicine, she couldn't do anything, anything at all. Helpless and _weak_. Humiliated. Pathetic.

.:..:..:.

"Zuko! Zuko!"

"Huh? Wha?"

"Wake up, Azula's missing!"

The firebender bolted upright and shouted, "What do you mean _missing_?!"

"She's just gone!" Ty Lee exclaimed. "I woke up, but she wasn't here!"

Zuko took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself before nodding. He glanced at their surroundings, and saw that Azula hadn't stolen any of their provisions, thankfully. With a composed look he turned to Ty Lee. "Do you still have the tickets?"

"Yeah," Ty Lee pulled the tickets out of her pocket and showed him. "See? They're here. All three."

"Then she couldn't have gotten far, and it's unlikely she went to Ba Sing Se alone. Let's look around a little bit. We can alert security if we have to."

Ty Lee swallowed a considerable lump in her throat. "O-Okay."

"I'll look on the east side and you can check the west. We'll meet back here in twenty minutes."

"Gotcha."

The two walked down the stairs and parted ways. The harbor was just as crowded as it was the day before. Zuko navigated through the waves of people, darting about, searching for his only sister. She wouldn't have gone far enough to be lost; he was sure that she was aware of her dependence on him and wouldn't take her chances running off completely alone. But what if she had had some crazed bout of insanity? What if the Herbalist's medicine had worn off? Technically, when Azula was not in his care, she was an alleged criminal, both in the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. To have her loose… would simply not have been good. However, searching for her was hardly a simple task, as all of the women around him looked just like his sister with their skinny frames and black hair. If he listened hard enough he could hear Ty Lee's shouts of "Azula!" from the other side of the cove, her voice echoing off the stone walls. Zuko, though, did not call her name, for it was unlikely for his sister to come at someone's beckoning, mentally disturbed or not. Thus, he darted every which way, hurriedly asking random travelers if they had seen her, but they all shook their heads in dissent. It didn't help that his boat to Ba Sing Se left in an hour. And Zuko wouldn't leave without her. He wouldn't.

"Hey, you!"

The firebender was suddenly grabbed from behind and spun around, meeting the angry face of a rather familiar man. Gansu.

"Um… can I help you?" Zuko sputtered.

"You said your sister was crazy, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well she's sleepin' in our camp!" Gansu exclaimed. "We can't wake her up!"

"Really?" The Fire Lord perked up at the news. "Please, take me to her!"

At an almost running pace, Gansu led Zuko through the crowd to his campsite. And like he had said, Azula was curled up on a pile of blankets. Sela and Li watched as Zuko kneeled down next to her, tucking a dark strand of hair behind her ear. She was completely out. He glanced over his shoulder at the family.

"How long has she been here?"

Li walked forward. "She's been here since I woke up. She must've come in the middle of the night."

Zuko gently shook his sister's shoulder. "Azula?" he whispered. "Azula, wake up."

"We already tried that," Li said rather loudly. Zuko instantly whipped around, a finger pressed to his lips.

"Shush!"

"Oh, sorry." Li bowed his head. Zuko tried to wake Azula up again, but to no avail. He didn't want to wake her up suddenly—he feared that the shock would cause her to be violent. Therefore, he continued to try and get her to come through, repeating her name and shaking her shoulder until she came to. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked dazedly at him. When she sat up she unsteadily rocked back and forth. Zuko held onto both of her shoulders to set her straight.

"Zuko? Is that you?" Azula slurred, eyes nearly closed again.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's me, sis. How're you feeling?" Zuko replied.

"I…" Azula rocked once, but did not fall. Her chin dropped and she looked at her lap. Her face hardened and twisted in agony, and Zuko leaned forward in concern.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I couldn't do it."

"Do what?"

"…Nothing."

Zuko waited, hoping that she would say more. But she didn't. "Can you stand?"

"Of course I can stand," Azula snapped, waking up, and finally returning to her normal demeanor. She stumbled, though, as she stood, and Zuko went to catch her. She leaned against him, left arm around his shoulders. "Or… ha, maybe not."

At this point, Sela spoke up, approaching the siblings. "It looks like your ankle's sprained. I know we've all been on the bad side of one another, but I was thinking we can get a new start. It's why we're going to Ba Sing Se and all. A new start, right?"

Zuko paused for a moment, and then glanced at his sister. "Right?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Azula sighed.

"Okay. I'm going to leave you with Sela. I have to go get Ty Lee," Zuko explained, easing Azula onto a stone stump. He looked at the family. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this helps."

Sela nodded, Li smiled, and Gansu grunted. Zuko then turned his back and melted into the crowd once again. Azula watched him go before lashing her head in Sela's direction. The woman was carrying a small pail of water and several bandages. Azula twitched her foot away as Sela knelt with the pail.

"What's wrong?" the mother asked. Azula found that she couldn't even _look_ in the area where the wat—no, the _pail_ was. She clenched her fists.

"Can't you just bandage it? It's not like I need a full bath," she growled.

"But I can't. I'd be exposing you to a lot of bacteria," Sela replied. "Really, though, what's wrong?"

Azula sucked in a breath. "I'mafraidofwater."

"What was that?"

"I _said _that I'm…afraid…of water."

"That's a dumb fear," Li chided, popping up out of nowhere. "I thought only pygmy-panthers were afraid of water."

"It's not a dumb fear!" Azula exclaimed, immediately turning on him. Li had a sly smile on his face.

"Yeah it is."

"_Hardly_."

"Yeah, it _is_. You can't survive without it, everyone knows that. Duh."

"I can so. I can drink cactus juice for the rest of my life if I have to."

"Cactus juice is stored water."

"And who made you intelligent?"

"My dad and older brother Sensu. Who made you dumb?"

"All right then. What are you afraid of?"

"I dunno. Certainly not water."

"Hydrophobia is not a dumb—"

"All done," Sela piped in, interrupting their conversation. Azula stared down at her foot, now wiped clean and bandages secured around the ankle. She wiggled her toes.

"Um, thanks…"

"See, told ya it was a dumb fear," Li scoffed.

"Is that good enough?" Sela asked. Azula stood. There was still a twinge to it, but for the most part, she was steady now.

"Yes. Very… very good." She wasn't used to giving out compliments. "How did you do that?"

"Oh, all mothers have their tricks." Sela smiled, a playful gleam in her eye. "They work on every child, no matter how old."

Azula just nodded, not smiling or anything. As Sela walked away to help her husband pack up the campsite, Zuko and Ty Lee returned. Zuko shook his head in her direction.

"I told you she was okay," he said, and Ty Lee breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, thank Agni! How are you feeling Azula?"

"I'm fine." Azula scowled.

A loud horn sounded throughout the cove, and Zuko glanced at his ticket. "Looks like that's our ride. Let's go."

The trio turned and joined the crowd that shuffled towards the boat, cramming together at the verification line where tickets were being checked and approved. The sky beyond the cove was bright and blue, perfect for sailing out across the equally blue bay. They were waiting in line on the wooden docks when someone shouted, "Wait! Wait!"

Zuko, Azula, and Ty Lee turned to see Li running towards them through the masses. He skidded to a halt, out of breath. "My mom and dad said I could come with you!" he exclaimed, waving his ticket in their faces. "See? I'm all ready to go!"

"You're not coming with us," Azula said, arms crossed. She was still mildly annoyed about their 'hydrophobia is stupid' conversation.

"Azula's right," Zuko stated. "You can't come. We get into enough danger Sorry."

"What?" Li's face scrunched up in confusion, then cleared. "Oh! I just wanna ride with you on the ferry! You see, we're going too, but my parents are way back in the line, y'know?"

"Oh, c'mon guys," Ty Lee protested. "Just let him come with us, it won't be for long!"

Zuko glanced at his sister, who gave him an irritated glance back. She then turned away, had her ticket approved, and walked on deck. Zuko sighed in defeat, following, and behind him Li let out a yip of excitement while Ty Lee giggled. They were just like everyone else, boarding the ferry, headed for a new start in the Great Walled City—Ba Sing Se. Once the upper and lower passenger decks were filled with a decent amount of people (not to mention a platypus-bear), the ship let out a trombone-like blow, and glided out of the Full Moon Bay Harbor, parting the waves as the great Avatar Kuruk used to. A crowd gathered in the front of the boat to excitedly point out the small, yellowish speck in the far distance that was the face of Ba Sing Se. It was a hopeful sight for the weary travelers that had journeyed from their homes ravaged by war, including Li, who faced the spectacle with admiration.

Despite half of the passengers gawking at the near-invisible dot of Ba Sing Se, Azula could have cared less. She sat on one of the wooden benches, having no interest in looking up front. She supposed the only highlight of having that brat around was he was keeping Ty Lee too busy to bother her. Azula didn't understand how Sela could have acted so kindly earlier today that she had bandaged her ankle. Hadn't Azula threatened her son just the day before? Why would she help her?

"Hey. I brought you some lunch." Zuko sat down next to her and handed her a bowl. She wrinkled her nose at the putrid cabbage-like scent.

"Not only is it cabbage again, but it's _rotten_. Why can't you ever find good food?"

"Not really liking the simple life, are you?"

Azula gave him a look.

"There's not much food to go around in this part of the Earth Kingdom right now," Zuko explained. "The fields in Ba Sing Se are still damaged."

"How perfect—instead of starving in prison, I'll starve as a peasant."

"You're not going to starve, Azula." Zuko rolled his eyes. "Anyways," he lowered his voice. "So... what can't you do? What happened last night?"

Azula lifted her head up to stare out at the open sea, reflecting on his question. She saw the back of some large creature, green and serpentine, visible in the lowered her eyes again, and snorted, a smirk curving her lips. "Like I'm going to tell you."

"It would be nice if you did."

"If you really want to know…"

"Yes?"

"I tried to firebend."

"And?"

"Nothing," she replied nonchalantly, as if she hardly cared.

"Nothing? You're not making any sense."

"I answered your question, didn't I? Now let me ask you one," she said, instantly changing the subject. "What did you do to make Sela be nice to me?"

"Um... what?"

"You heard me. She hated me yesterday, hated me this morning, but once you came around, she was, well, _nice_."

"Azula, I didn't do anything."

"Sure you didn't, Zuzu. I know you want me to 'get better'. It's why you've dragged me along on your little mommy hunt. And I've heard the way you talk about me..."

Her voice dropped, and she genuinely sounded... hurt. Hurt. It was such an odd expression on her face, and Zuko felt instant remorse. But Azula only seemed to contemplate on it for a moment before glaring harshly at him.

"You should probably take that as a warning."

"Oh. Okay. I'll stop. Promise."

The siblings fidgeted as they both went quiet. Li and Ty Lee ran past them, the two apparently playing a game of tag all around the boat. Zuko couldn't help but chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Azula asked dryly.

"Nothing," Zuko shrugged. "I just remember how we would play tag."

"And how was _I _was always _it_?"

"Yeah, but that's only because if I was it, I could never catch you."

Azula reflected on the moment with amusement, a finger tapping her chin. "True. But even when I did get you, you never wanted to play anymore."

"Yeah, well... I guess I was tired. And you were really fast."

"And you always went to mom afterwards."

Zuko sighed. Azula kept bringing up their mother at random moments, and he was starting to get slightly annoyed. It was either that, or he had never realized how much of her sarcasm and mockery were actually blunt or complaining statements. "Azula?"

"Yes?"

"Do you... do you even want to look for mom?"

"Like I've said before, you haven't given me a choice," she replied, her tone callous and indifferent as if she was reciting a timeless phrase. Zuko paused and watched as her smirk faded, her expression transforming into the one he had seen before. Hurt. "But... I think I do. I don't know, but I would like to think that I do. Otherwise, I don't know what I'm doing here."

Azula wrung her hands, thinking that they were defected, that _she _was defected. A failure. But whom was she a failure to? Her father or her mother?

"Azula... is there something you want to tell me?"

The convalescent parted her hands, knowing that he had been watching. "Let's just say that I'm not always aware of what I'm doing."

"Azula," Zuko said sternly, wanting an answer from her. If she had hurt someone, or worse—_killed_ someone—then he had no choice but to lock her up again. He couldn't let her run wild if she had done such a thing. When she made eye contact with him, the corner of her lip turned up in amusement.

"You look like Father."

"Huh?" Zuko's face resumed its natural composure.

"That's the look Father used to give me when he knew I was lying."

"You even lied to _him_?"

"No, not really. But he always seemed to think I was."

"Huh. Wonder why that is..."

"He was the only one that could ever get the truth out of me. What happened to him? How is he?"

"Well, he's--" Zuko stopped. "Hey. Do you hear something?"

Azula stopped as well and listened hard, above the racket of voices and sandals on wood. At first she heard nothing distinct, but then a high-pitched, whistling sound met her ears. She could only think of one source. "It sounds like catapult fire."

"Yeah, but where's it coming from?"

"I can't tell. I thought the war was over, Zuko. You must be a pretty pathetic Fire Lord."

But Zuko was not paying attention to his sister's snarky insults. Instead he listened to the whistling sound come nearer and nearer, lowering in pitch until it sounded like a growing thunder. It grew louder and louder until he saw the mass of hurling orange flame drop from the bright shine of the sun, the fiery bomb headed straight towards them.


	17. Chapter 17

Reformatted the previous chapter, so I _hope _it's easier for people to distinguish the dream-sequence thingy. Anyways.

I'm rather proud of this chapter because it's so action-packed. I haven't written action since... Teen Titans, I believe, I stopped writing that about four years ago. Wow. Four. I'm so watching the series again ^-^

I suppose the only downside, or in my opinion, of this chapter is the totally cliche/cheesy thing at the end, so don't bash me for it. I know it's cliche/cheesy, but c'mon, there are moments in the show that are cliche and cheesy. Gimme a break. (Gimme a break, gimme a break... break me off a piece o' that kit kat bar!)...Wow. What am I on?

* * *

"Zuko, what are you—"

Zuko leapt up from the bench and charged onto the railing, faced the ball of fire headed straight for the boat, clasped his hands together and then blasted an enormous pillar of swirling flames that engulfed the incoming boulder, pushed against its mighty force and sent it crashing into the sea. The waves rose and hissed as the sizzling rock sank into the sea, steam puffing up in hazy clouds. The liquid heat caused Zuko to stumble backwards into panicking passengers and screaming civilians that were running around the ship in a wild frenzy. A bell sounded the alert of an attack throughout the ship.

Azula stood up and approached him, an eyebrow raised. "Um… what was that?"

Zuko wiped the sweat from his brow. "Catapult fire. There's probably going to be more."

"More? I thought—"

The floor beneath them suddenly slanted as the ship lurched a hard right, the ferry scarcely dodging another fireball. The movement sent the two siblings flying into a wooden coach-roof. The ship righted itself just in time so nobody fell overboard, but the employees were scrambling to pack the passengers below deck, but because there were so many chaos ensued. Zuko shot a righteous gaze to his sister.

"We have to protect this ship," he said sternly, valiantly. "If we don't, we'll _all _sink." There was a hard gleam of morality in his eye that he looked at Azula with, perhaps trying to coerce the goodness out of her for the sake of everyone on board. "Including you. I know you're scared, okay?"

She glared darkly at him. "_Scared_ is the last thing I am," she glowered. "You should know that."

"Good. Then you can help me defend this ship." Zuko ran to the bow, where he jumped up and knocked away another fireball. Azula stood there, watching him, considering what he had just said. She was conflicted—what use would it be to protect all of these worthless, dirt-abiding peasants around her? They were too weak to do the same for her. But then she glanced at the water beyond the railing, which was coming up in great waves, little drops plinking upwards at her. She flinched as only a mere drop flecked her cheek, hastily wiping it away while one hand reached down for a leather pouch attached to her belt. She opened it and set a flower petal on her tongue, chewing it and letting it dissolve in her mouth.

"Azula! What are you doing? We have to get below deck!" Ty Lee cried, finally finding her friend amongst the crowds. She grabbed Azula's arm in panic. "Let's go!"

Azula nearly choked on her medicine. She stared at Ty Lee for a moment, studying her worried expression, her wide, glassy eyes were framed by her creased eyebrows and a thread of hair that was hanging in front of her face. Ty Lee blinked, anxiously waiting, only to have Azula suddenly spin around. run the opposite way of her, face an oncoming fireball and instantly extend into a wide stance, summoning all and any energy in her. But nothing came forth from her hands, not even the slightest spark! Ty Lee screamed and Azula shut her eyes, knowing that it was too close to run away now, and her hands still out in front of her. All of a sudden there was a wall of scorching heat in front of her, blocking the fireball, and the convalescent felt that her veins were burning, as if they were catching on fire themselves. She didn't open her eyes until she stumbled backwards onto the floor as the boat rocked with the force of the flaming boulder dropping into the water. Azula looked at her hands, red and touched with soot. She had somehow projected fire, and a lot of it.

"You… you can firebend again!" Ty Lee stood awestruck, her eyes just as wide as they had been before. Ty Lee helped her up. "I… I didn't think—"

"Tell the Captain to maneuver in an isosceles pattern," Azula ordered, cutting her off with sharp authority. "The catapults can only shoot at a constantly-faced target. This will be the only way we can get into port safely."

Ty Lee took a step back, at first bewildered by the determination in her friend's voice, but at the same time, amazed at the valiance of it. A look of resolve crossed the gymnast's face and she nodded, bolting away for the captain. Zuko was still at the bow, fending off any catapult fire that came their way, cutting a clear path for the ship to move. At the stern, fireballs whizzed past, nearly taking off the end of the ship, smoking the nearest planks of wood. They were too close. Orange flames ignited at Azula's wrists, her veins once more shooting with pain, but it was a pain that could be well ignored as the crowd parted to let her through to raise her arms and blast the boulder away with a plume of fire. The moment one boulder fell another came hurtling towards them which she turned and knocked it away, too. She focused the anguish in her arms on the firebending, forcing it to come out raw and uncultivated, for she knew that if she couldn't block the projectiles the boat would be a total wreck. The last thing she wanted to do was drown.

The ship constantly swerved, Ty Lee having successfully delivered her message to the Captain, so Azula had to switch her footing each time to regain her balance. After blocking about a dozen fireballs she lowered her hands and doubled over, feeling as if her chi veins had been cut open and bleeding. It had come to the point where it hurt too much to bend. Bending had never hurt before! Why did it now?!

"I knew there was a Fire Nation scorpion-snake on this ship!" a man shouted. Azula raised her head to see a number of passengers closing in on her, weapons drawn and angry looks on their faces. "You traitors led them right to us!"

"No wonder we're getting attacked!"

"It's all your fault, you Fire Nation devils!"

"Devils! Devils!"

"Monsters!"

Something suddenly clicked in the firebender. She charged forward and slammed an eager fist right into one man's jaw, knocking him away, raising a foot and kicking another square in the chest. Her next actions were a blur of strikes, swiping her enemies' ankles and bringing down a palm-knife on their pulses, fighting them away, and without firebending. Her strikes were a flurry of axes, roundhouses, crescents, hooks, all of them landing in between her frequent blocks and the tossing away of her enemies' blades and knives. It didn't matter how many or how large her opponents were—they had insulted the Fire Nation, her country, her pride. And now they were paying for it.

Becoming so absorbed in her rage at her attackers, Azula failed to see the next barrage of fireballs were launched at them. The men around her began to lessen, scattering like frantic spider-flies, and it was only when they cleared did she look up at the blazing boulder come crashing down on her.

The ship erupted, wood exploding on impact. The boulder went straight through the boat, even through the hull. Ocean water began to fill the lower decks, causing the people down there to try and scramble away up the stairs and save themselves from drowning. Nobody had control over the balance of the ferry anymore, the bow heaving downward to levy the stern, the broken end rising high in the air. Passengers that had survived the impact clung to the cracked wooden boards, screaming and flailing as they fell into the deep blue. Among these dangling figures was Azula, holding on with one hand, her other releasing the shield she had grabbed a split second before the boulder had crashed to protect her from shrapnel. But even without it she knew that she was going to fall, her arm still aching from the firebending, feeling as if it was being pulled out of its socket. She swung to her right, trying to get her other hand up to get back on board, but the slightest exertion of weight caused the plank she held onto to crack.

"Don't let go, don't look down," Azula said to herself, the entire boat groaning and panicked screams filling the air. She couldn't look down. She couldn't see the ocean, but she knew that the water was down there. _Black Water. Cold. Ice. Frozen. Drowningdrowningdrowning._ "Don't let go, don't look down," she said to herself again, but her fingers began to slip. _Herself drowning. Zuko drowning. Ty Lee drowning. Katara's mouth beneath them and opening as a sea serpent's. _"Don't let—don't look…" _Drowningdrowningdrowning. Katara laughing, lion-shark teeth, swallowing her whole into the choking abyss. Katara standing above on the surface. Laughter. Laughter of death as she fell, suffocating, drowningdrowningdrowning._

"Gotcha!"

A hand clasped around her wrist, snapping her back reality. She was suddenly staring up at a little boy's face, his strained expression filling her view as he yanked her up to safety. Li.

From a blurred vision she could see Zuko run past and blast the water with a long jet of fire, weakly propelling the ship along like an engine. Azula shivered, as if she _had _been drowning. Ty Lee appeared and assisted Li with to getting her on her feet, as she was trapped in a daze, and looked as if she were about to pass out. Her head hung limply from her shoulders, taking in slow, meandering breaths. The three of them shuffled over to the bow, Azula hanging lifelessly between them, but she made an attempt to stop, grunting, "Let go of me."

"No!" Ty Lee shouted, firmly and indignantly. "We're almost there, we can make it! And you're hurt!"

"I don't care."

"I do!"

"I said I don't care!" Azula shouted and began to writhe in their grasp. "I have to help him!"

"No, Azula!"

Azula broke away and took off towards the stern, appearing at her brother's side. Though her stance was unsteady and her bending was weaker, she blasted the water. Now with two firebenders working together to move the ferry along, the power was twice as strong and the ship accelerated much more quickly. The siblings worked like two dragons, both of them shooting brilliant orange flames in unison. Giant waves rose and fell at their combined force, the boat dangerously tipping only once and recovering with intense vigor. Though neither adolescent may have realized it, but they were perfectly in sync, alternating hands, the same hands, shooting twin pillars of fire. In moments they reached the sandy shore, the ship unable to stop, but harbored at last, albeit a tad awkwardly. They cut their bending at the same time, and it was only then did Zuko realize that his sister had helped him.

"Whoa." Zuko dashed and caught his sister before she collapsed. She was exhausted, fainting at last.

"Zuko, is she going to—" Ty Lee began, but was cut off by Li.

"Hey, lookit that!" he shouted, leaning over the railing and pointing at the far shore of Ba Sing Se's wall. The trio all looked at once; it was obviously where the catapult fire had originated from. They could see industrial machines and soldiers in bright red, fighting up a dust cloud, causing a violent riot and battle. Boulders were thrown and fire was blasted. It was as if the war hadn't ended.

"What is that?" Ty Lee asked. Zuko's eyes narrowed.

"Fire Nation rebels," he said. "Or as they've been calling themselves, The Phoenix Loyalists."

"You mean like your dad?"

"Yes. They've been hassling everyone for the past four months. Now we have to get over there."

"Why?"

"Because it's my duty as Fire Lord to control my people."

.:..:..:.

Dust and smoke intermingled like obscure smog, littered with dirt particles and ash. Jets of fire shot out of tan-colored clouds and boulders erupted from the ground, exchanging back and forth with brutal force, heaved by soldiers and benders alike. Iron tanks clashed through sandstone barricades, shattering them and exploding them into millions of tiny sienna fragments, only for the tanks to pitfall into a giant crevasse carved in favor of the defense. Flaming arrows caught enemy troops on fire, sending them rolling to the ground, helpless and dying. Medical agents had to dodge blazes and stones to reach the injured. Those that were not shooting fire, throwing rocks, launching catapults, or driving tanks slammed into one another with blood-splattered katanas and bone-flecked clubs, intestine-slathered machetes and lances. It was not only an uncontrolled riot, brought on by rebellion and outrage, but a terrible stalemate, one that could last for days, and had been doing so. The battle was the cause of the delays in the Full Moon Bay Harbor.

Even the elite Terra Team was having difficulties as they stepped out onto the battlefield, their formation long gone after the many hours of warfare. Their leader, characterized by a bright green helmet adorned with an ivory tassel, constantly shifted positions, staying rooted with the ground while moving as fast as any would shoot flames. They commanded the cracks in the ground, splitting it beneath their opponent's feet, trapping them and crushing their ankles. Had this been the first day of battle, the leader would have grinned and laughed at them, but the first day was long gone. Now, they had to use any energy they had left to take the relentless Phoenix Loyalists down.

"Colonel! Colonel!" A captain came running towards the Terra Team leader. A chunk of rock whizzed past him and took out three firebenders that had been hot on his heels. "Colonel, the Avatar needs you up on the Wall!"

"For what?!" The leader yelled back. "Can't Twinkletoes see I'm a little busy?!"

The captain ducked a jet of flame and stabbed the nearest Loyalist with his sword. "Y-Yes! But he claims the Fire Lord has come to help settle the matter!"

"Zuko?" Colonel Toph mused, flinging the boulder she had been levitating into the clouds. "All right! Tell Captains Haru and Xin Fu to head north and eliminate the catapults on the water's edge! They can't keep firing on civilian ships!"

"Yes Colonel!" The captain saluted briefly and then ran to carry out his orders as Toph turned her back, expertly dodging enemy fire and taking Loyalists down in the process. She nearly missed the staircase that led up the Wall, briefly distracted by how many wounded lie together, unable to receive full medical attention until the team inside the Wall was able to take in casualties. Toph gritted her teeth in anger, swearing beneath her breath, knowing that the battle would continue to go on even though the Phoenix Loyalists did not have the entire power of the Fire Nation behind them. Toph knew that the Loyalists would not follow Zuko, for they pledged allegiance to Fire Lord Sozin and wanted to live his dream of tearing down Ba Sing Se's Great Wall.

"All right Twinkletoes, Sparky! You better have a damn good reason for calling me up here!" Toph shouted. Aang and Zuko turned to look at her as she interrupted their meeting.

"Actually we do," Aang replied. "Zuko's come to fix the problem."

"Well, not exactly, I—"

"_Not exactly_?! Hey, my men and I have been fighting down there for five days. _Five days_!" Toph shouted, cutting Zuko off. "You better have an excuse!"

"Let me talk and I'll ex—"

"It's all your fault that this stupid rebellion is happening anyways! Aang told me what you're doing, and—"

"I didn't know that they were going to attack, I—"

"Guys, guys!" Aang came between the two before any more trouble broke out. "Toph, calm down. You're hot from battle. Zuko… give her a little bit of space."

Toph snorted in frustration, but complied with the Avatar's orders. She crossed her arms and sat down on a bench that overlooked the field, taking a long gulp of water from her canteen. Zuko took a step back, breathing deeply, sorting his thoughts out from his temper.

"I can't believe you brought her with you," Aang said, and Zuko looked over his shoulder. He was referring to Azulawho was currently passed out on a bench, her head lying in Ty Lee's lap. A man walked up to them and asked Ty Lee about a stretcher.

"I'm sorry," Zuko replied, turning away. "But we'll have to discuss this later, Aang. Right now I have to stop this revolt."

The Avatar nodded understandingly, knowing that the matter at hand needed to be taken care of first before anything personal was involved. "Okay. So what do you plan to do."

"I was thinking… that I could talk to them."

"Talk to them? Zuko, do you really think that's going to work? I mean, I tried talking to them, and they wouldn't listen. And I'm _the Avatar_."

Zuko glanced sideways at his sister. "I have an idea. Tell Toph and General Sung to retreat. I need you to find me a megahorn so they'll hear me."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to… I'm going to talk to Azula. I really think she can help us."

"Zuko…"

"She's been different lately. Trust me."

"I can't promise you anything. But if you mess up, Toph's going to earthquake Ba Sing Se to the ground."

The two parted ways, and as expected, Toph began to shout and curse at the blasphemy of Zuko's plan. Zuko ignored her as he walked up to Azula and Ty Lee, stooping down on one knee beside a futon the medical agents had laid out for her. He gently touched her cheek.

"Azula wake up." Her face twitched, and she meekly opened his eyes at his voice. They closed again. "Please," he said, on the point of begging. "I need your help."

She opened her eyes again but didn't speak.

"You don't have to do anything," he continued. "What you've done today… is enough, and I don't know what to… Listen. Please. I'm just asking for one last favor. As a brother."

There was a tentative silence as he waited for her to respond.

"She's too weak, Zuko," Ty Lee said. "I don't think—"

Azula groaned, and attempted to sit up. With a worn yet determined glare, Azula rasped, "I'm not weak."

A special kind of honor filled Zuko's chest at her words. She would never back down. Wordlessly he slung an arm beneath her, holding her up, the two of them shuffling towards the megahorn that Aang had brought out. The Fire Lord looked down on the Loyalists, who were now smashing the Great Wall with their clubs and axes and leaving giant scorch marks on the white stone as they heated it and made it brittle so it fell away. It would be slow progress to break through the Wall, though the tanks Zuko spied in the distance that had not been taken out by the earthbenders made him unsure just _how_ slow the progress would be. He glanced at Azula once more, who hung lifelessly in his grasp, flitting in and out of consciousness. Just her being there was enough. Zuko sucked in a breath and blew the instrumental part of the horn, its brass sound blaring across the landscape. The Phoenix Loyalists stopped and looked up to see what the issue was. Zuko choked, realizing that he didn't know what to say, but then spoke.

"Phoenix Loyalists… people of Fire Lord Ozai." His voice was humble, tender. "Your cause is a valiant one. Your strength is an admirable one. And your determination for fulfilling the Fire Lord's dream is an undefeatable one. Your rage, your anger, your hate… is it all necessary now that a struggling peace has ended the war? Can you not lay down your weapons to new ideas, revolutionary ideas, of a changing world? I understand that you fear change, that you fear the redemption of our country. _Our country_. The Fire Nation. The pledge you make is not one to Ozai, but to your country, where your wives take care of your children and your mothers worry your death. If you believe that you are fighting for the Fire Nation, then you are fighting for every Fire Lord that is crowned. That is what a loyalist is."

The speech made the men look up. They seemed to be soaking in his words, remembering their lives back home, and a feeling of disconnect from the flames in their hands and the spears in their grasp spread through the group. They had been fighting, and fighting, and fighting, believing that they were right… and yet this man, their new Fire Lord, did not praise them. They were angered that he did not support them, did _not _support the old ways, but they had never considered anything new. The new Fire Lord could speak with a humility that Ozai, Azulon, and Sozin never could. It was as if he could feel their pain, understand their fury, their suffering. One by one, they laid down their weapons and climbed out of their machines, stooping to their knees and prostrating to the Fire Lord. The battle was over.

"Wow," Aang said, genuinely amazed. "I… I didn't think they would listen."

"You got that right," Toph added. "Nice job, Sparky."

"Thanks," Zuko replied, but he wasn't really paying attention to him. He just kept looking at his sister on his shoulder. Her eyes were open, barely, but still open. He hadn't just been talking to the soldiers. He had been talking to her as well. He hoped she was conscious enough to have heard it.

The sound of someone clapping disrupted the moment. Everyone turned their heads. Zuko's jaw dropped.

"_Mai_?"


	18. Chapter 18

Y o u ' r e lucky. I almost forgot to update this. Bad Nikkel.

Anyways. According to my beta, it was rather long, so I cut out a bit of dialogue and put in a break. Tell me what you think, por favor.

* * *

The green fire crackled in its gemstone hearth. Zuko waited alone on a plush pillow, his legs folded beneath him, as if meditating. He had been waiting all night to speak with Mai or Aang to explain his reasoning behind bringing Azula. He had mentioned to Aang that he was looking for his mother but hadn't mentioned that he would have Azula with him.

He wasn't quite certain of what he thought of Azula now. What she had done out on the deck of the ferry… he didn't quite know what to make of it. Though he had asked her to help, he hadn't expected her to do so with such righteousness, such valiance. She had kept fighting, as was her nature, but instead of fighting against him she had fought beside him. The image of her firebending to help him and save the ship was still clear in his mind… what she did, at the time, hadn't been necessary, yet she had done it anyways. Did their talk before the catapult fire have anything to do with it? And what about the medicine? Was it actually working, or was it just a placebo?

The idea of true redemption, though… how possible was it? He kept hoping, he kept waiting. Was it actually happening? Was it becoming more than just a goal of his?

Zuko's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. He looked up to find that Mai had slipped inside, and he stood up, but didn't run over to her. She just stood there in the jade firelight, her eyes dark and suspicious beneath the straight edge of her bangs, sharp as razorblades. Her hands were hidden in her oversized sleeves—he was afraid that she was sporting some sort of weapon. She took a step forward, as if testing the water, and he flinched, thinking that she was going to attack. Would she attack? He wouldn't have doubted it.

Mai suddenly lunged at him and he held up his forearms to counter, but she didn't bear any weapons to slit his throat. Instead she had her arms around him, catching him by surprise, pulling him towards her. What had happened to her being angry with him?

"Mai, what—"

She cut him off with a hard, passionate kiss. When he leaned into it, she broke away.

"This isn't an apology," she said sternly.

"Then… what is it?" he asked.

She walked away from him, facing the hearth of the fire, crossing her arms. She sighed heavily. "Sometimes I really do hate myself for loving you."

Zuko blinked, confused. What did she mean by that? "Um… sorry?"

Mai sighed again. "I just don't understand."

"Understand what?" Why did Mai have to be so complicated?

She glared spitefully at him. "_You_," she spat. "And Azula."

There was a pregnant pause, and he felt anger rise in his chest. He frowned indignantly. "Why can't you just accept that I want to help her?" he asked evenly, heatedly.

"_Why_?" she whirled around to face him and stabbed a finger at his chest. "Oh, I'll tell you _why_! You know, before you became Fire Lord, you always said that you hated Azula, but now you're willing to go halfway around the world for her! It's not like you, Zuko. And, whatever it is you're doing, you really have no regard for anybody back home. Do you have any idea how outraged the country was when they found out that you left? I was told that there were riots in the streets that day, that your uncle himself had go put it down! The war's only been over for a year, Zuko. You can't abandon your duty altogether. You're the _Fire Lord. _Leaving whenever you want is utterly irresponsible."

"But I'm not abandoning them," Zuko protested. "I put that rebellion down today! If I hadn't been there, it probably would have lasted and more would be dead!"

"You still abandoned your country. Maybe Azula's right. Maybe you are a traitor," Mai snarled, her words piercing straight through his chest. He was startled by the profound accusation and seemed to physically stumble at it as if she had actually stabbed him. His mouth gaped—she had never called him a traitor before. But as she stood there, it became clear that she was hurt, wounded by his actions. Now he could see why she hated herself for loving him. Zuko instantly felt guilty, and was compelled to hang his head, his pride weakening as she stood with her lips pursed, her eyes narrowed, her fists clenched. But as he looked culpably at her infuriated face, he saw something else. Though she tried to bury her own truth beneath a mask of anger, the dark, honeysuckle eyes gave her away again. He had a realization.

"Mai…" he said slowly, not apologetically, but curiously. "Are you… are you _jealous_?"

She seemed to soften. "_What_?" she snapped, but her voice had lost its edge.

"Are you jealous?"

There was another silent moment between them as Zuko watched intently as Mai moved her head so that her hair dropped in front of her face, hiding her eyes. The Fire Lord approached her and gently embraced her, knowing that everything she had said was the real portrayal of how she felt. It wasn't that he had abandoned the country—no, that was hardly it—but it was that he had abandoned _her_. No wonder she felt betrayed, felt hatred for him. He had left her behind, just as he had when he left to join the Avatar one year ago, just as he had when he had gone off to visit Azula without letting her know. One could have hardly considered the trait admirable. She had gone to Omashu to escape the pain he had been causing her, but why had she come back? She didn't have to—he didn't deserve it. Mai was almost too good for him.

"I'm going with you," Mai finally said. He looked at her.

"What?"

"I said that I'm going with you. To find your mother."

"But… why?"

"My parents originally sent me here to check-up on my uncle. Too bad he turned out to be a part of the Phoenix Loyalists."

"Oh."

"And, well… I'm having second thoughts."

"About…?"

Mai looked over her shoulder into the ivory-fashioned fireplace. "About… you know. _Her_."

"Azula?"

"Yes."

"What made you think that?"

"I listened to that speech you gave to the Loyalists. You weren't just talking to them, were you?"

"Uh… I guess not…"

"You were talking to Azula, too. I know it. And if we're going to find your mother, the least I can do is make an effort to get along with her. It would be a minimal effort, though. Very minimal."

"But you're still going to try?"

"…Yes."

As complicated as his fiancé seemed—she still wore her engagement ring—she made him smile. Turning over a new leaf was something he definitely approved of, even if it was going to be a painful, and sometimes tragic, process. He knew this better than anyone, and leaned in, kissing her, making up for all of their lost time and apologizing for any hurt he had unknowingly caused. Though she had called him a traitor, he had returned, loyally and faithfully, just as she had snuffed him out. Mai embraced him, missing the way he had held her, kissed her.

Mai raised a hand and cupped his cheek, now buzzed with facial hair, rough and prickly, but interesting to touch. It was just another sign that he was growing up, nearly there. She wondered if he planned to shave, or let a beard or goatee grow, like the rest of the men in the royal family. The thought made her smile against his tender lips, chuckling in her throat, running a hand through his hair, shaggy and growing long. Before she would have complained that he smelled like a cow-pig, dirty from his long days of travel, but now the scent that came from him was absolutely primal, wild. He seemed to notice that it excited her and his grasp tightened around her, bending her back a little; if they were in a bedroom, now would have been when they fell back on the mattress, Mai pulling him onto her, yearning for his warmth, his touch. She missed him so much.

There was a knock on the door, and they simultaneously broke apart, but still draped an arm around one another, grateful for the lack of light.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting something," Aang apologized as he walked in.

Mai shook her head and patted her fiancé's chest. "No, I was just about to leave," she said, and kissed Zuko once more before departing.

"Wait," Zuko called, and she stopped in the doorway next to the Avatar. "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think?" she answered, and left. Aang watched her go.

"Where's she going?" he asked.

"To see Azula," Zuko replied, then paused. "Thanks for not putting her in a cell. She needs to be outside."

"Yeah…" Aang said slowly, cautiously. He had only done so because Zuko and Ty Lee had asked him to, no matter how much Toph and the rest of the Earth Kingdom authorities protested. So far, however, the criminal had not caused any trouble, but Aang didn't doubt that she would start some soon. "That's exactly what I came here to talk to you about."

"I thought so," Zuko sighed. It seemed that more people cared that he was traveling with a convict, completely disregarding the fact that the convict was his sister and they were both on a quest for a person that could fix both of their lives.

"Let's sit down." Aang motioned to the sitting pillows in front of the fire place. Zuko sat where he had before, and the Avatar sat opposite of him, his tattoos looking more green than blue. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, as if meditating. Zuko waited anxiously for him to say something, even if he was angry. After about a minute, Aang opened his eyes and said, "I want to let you know that I support what you're doing."

Zuko blinked in surprise. He certainly hadn't been expecting that. "What?"

"I was mad at first," Aang admitted. "But I meditated on it for a while. And I think I realize how dedicated you are to this. Because I know now that this isn't just about yourself."

"Yeah… thanks."

"How… how is Azula anyways? She was just waking up when I last saw her."

"Better," Zuko said with a hint of pride. "Not completely cured, but better. She saved the ferry we came over on from sinking."

Aang raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like Azula at all."

"Ha, yeah, I know. I'm still trying to figure it out myself."

"What do you think made her do that?"

"Well, we stopped at this herbalist who gave her some medicine. Apparently, it's working. She's really… really different, y'know?"

"How long do you think the medicine's going last?"

"Hopefully long enough. And when that time comes, something tells me that she won't need it anymore."

.:.:.:.

Fireflies blinked in the lush garden of the Earth Kingdom palace, the summer night descending like an angel's gown. The air was not sweltering or humid, but soft, dry, and awakening. Refreshing. A crystal creek ran through the yard, the stones at the bottom visible by the clean moonlight.

Azula was sitting on the shore, close enough to the water to see her reflection, but made certain that she wouldn't touch it. The silver light gave her a rippling mirror on the stream,koi fish and lizard-frogs darting beneath the surface. How many times had she looked at her reflection while growing up, always thinking the same things? Her angelic face, her contemplative eyes, her umber hair—gifts from her mother and father to create a beautiful child, but also a most hated one. _Monster_. Looks didn't matter when you knew you were damned—all of your efforts to stun those with your physical appearance were always done in vain. It did not help that she knew this philosophy, that she was doomed to follow it in repetitious circles, for she knew no other way.

Azula picked up the leather pouch with the medicine in it, sticking two petals into her mouth. She had taken one when she had first woken up from passing out earlier that day, and had been taking them casually here and there after that. The Herbalist had given her no definite instructions—Azula just assumed that whenever the urge came she would act on it. She didn't want to freak out because she had forgotten to take it.

Watching the koi fish dart at the rocky bottom, Azula knew that there was a negative effect of the drug by now. Yes, it was allowing her to bend, but "not the natural way", as Ty Lee had put it. The acrobat had assessed her when she was asleep, having noticed the "disruption in her aura" and investigated She had explained that the firebender's chakra gates were being forced open instead of unlocked, like a herd of komodo-rhinos charging through a door to get inside instead of having someone open it. Neither Ty Lee nor Zuko knew that she had a transportable source of medicine; they just knew about the medicine she had taken at the Herbalist's house. Azula knew that it was the drugs, and if she continued to wrongfully bend, she could permanently damage her chakra gates and chi circulation—meaning she could physically cause herself to not be able to bend, no spirituality or energybending required. And yet, it felt so _good_ to firebend (the pain ignored, of course), even if the flames were not their signature blue. The feeling of heat at her fingertips was all she needed to let herself know that she was _alive_.

But she could always drown. Even though the creek was only about a foot deep, Azula couldn't trust it. How close could she push herself to it, though? Perhaps Li had been right, that hydrophobia _was _only for pygmy-panthers. No, no. She had every rational reason to be afraid of water, and Li was a peasant, uneducated and stupid. He had no idea of what dangers water could bring—tidal waves, hurricanes, typhoons, tsunamis, floods, rainstorms—all things waterbenders could manipulate to their own free will. There was a legend that a waterbender could even control the blood in your body. Yes, there seemed to be every reason to be afraid.

But dear Agni, what would _her father_ have thought? Azula could practically hear his voice in her head—_"__**Weak**__, that's what you are."_—or—_"Pathetic."_—and she cringed. She wanted to reply to him, but knew that she always had to keep her silence. To speak out against him was of the highest disrespect, and she did not want to end up scarred like her brother. But where was Ozai? Where was her father? Had he been locked away too? She had never been informed of what had happened to him. The last Azula had seen of her father was on the day of the Comet, when he had crowned himself Phoenix King and her Fire Lord.

The thought of Fire Lord… well, she didn't feel much about it at all. Numb. Maybe it was the placebo, maybe not. The noble position was something she had longed for, strived for, yearned for… and she had lost it before even being officially crowned. She had let her father down… she was so guilty she didn't even have to see him to know this. The guilt had buried itself deep into her skin, wearing away at everything else, so she didn't care that Zuko was Fire Lord. He was the one in that seat now, wearing the golden, five-pronged crown with the maroon robes and obsidian top armor. She was vengeful, angry at him—she most definitely had been first. Oh, how enraged she was. Azula couldn't remember all of it, but the scars that were slowly healing on her body were evidence enough of her hatred. One thing she remembered about being in prison was that he had been there, watching her. Sometimes she would wake up and find him silently sitting there, either mocking her or waiting for something. Perhaps she had gotten used to the idea of Fire Lord Zuko—and it had only taken her fifteen agonizing years to accept it, not to mention her loss of sanity in the process. How ironic.

Was she still even considered royalty? If so, she had not been addressed as such. But she had to be royalty, just _had _to be. Azula despised the peasantry she had been experiencing. There was never enough of anything—food, shelter, cleanliness, medical aid. She knew that she was not cut out for such a life. Though she wore Earth Kingdom clothes, she had been made for delegation, prevarication, manipulation, conviction; most certainly not the simple life. Azula touched her topknot, held by a wooden piece… it wasn't the same as a crown. Nobody recognized her as a Princess, nobody cared to acknowledge that she was royalty. They just passed by and maybe stared at her crazed complexion, all looking at her with fear instead of admiration. Even her own brother, she knew, still despised her. She knew it. She would snatch it out of him, make him admit it. He could do all he wanted, but she knew that he would never change his mind about her. And Ty Lee, too—just what was that girl thinking? To apologize and think everything was okay again? There was one idea, though, that she was right about, and that was that things would never be the same. Though Ty Lee may have been treating her kindly, Azula would never look to her the same way again. Now, she couldn't look at anyone the same way anymore. Everything was different. _Everything_. Even herself, and she still didn't know how to deal with it.

"I thought you were supposed to be afraid of water."

Azula jolted to her feet, going into instant attack mode at the sound of Mai's voice, raising her hands and turning around automatically on the defense. She put too much pressure on her sprained ankle, though, and her back foot splashed into the stream, the liquid ice freezing up her shin. Shock and anger and fear spiked up within her all at once—_drowningdrowningdrowning_—and Mai, just standing there complacently, watched with hawk eyes. In a hurry Azula conjured orange flames in her hand, arm shooting with pain, and Mai snatched up three shruiken, thinking she was going to strike. But instead Azula blasted the water at her feet, exploding the creek and knocking herself backwards.

Mai waited for the smoke to clear before advancing. When it did, Azula was standing, rattled but prepared for a fight. Mai noticed that she wore Earth Kingdom clothing similar to the Dai Li outfit she had worn nearly a year ago. If Mai was not mistaken, it was the _same _outfit. Well, if that wasn't ironic—that Azula was wearing clothes of a time when she had been her most powerful when she was now her most weakest. It was clear that Azula was hardly as strong as she once was—not because of her clothes, however, but simply of the way she stood. Even Mai, who could not firebend, knew it was improper and faulty. A single blow would have knocked her down. In addition, Mai had seen the orange fire; it was the color of the weakest of flames.

"I'm not going to attack you unless you attack me," Mai proclaimed, which was true. She still held the shruiken between her fingers. Just because she had promised Zuko to make amends with his sister did not mean it would go peacefully. She would protect herself by whatever costs necessary, and she certainly wasn't afraid to take down the monster that had almost killed her once.

"_Shut up_!" Azula cried, flinching and recoiling terribly. "Just shut up and get out of here! _Traitor_!"

"No," Mai said sharply. "If you're trying for redemption, then you ought to—"

"I'm not trying for redemption!"

"Then what are you doing here? Planning to kill someone? Me, Zuko, Ty Lee, the Avatar? That really wouldn't be a surprise, you know."

"I said _shut up_!" Azula shouted again, harsh voice echoing throughout the serene courtyard. She suddenly went to her side, dropping all her defenses, but not turning her back. She was fiddling for something in her pocket. Mai thought she saw her put a handful of white into her mouth, but she couldn't tell what it was.

"What are you doing?"

"Like _I _would tell _you_. I should be asking what _you're_ doing here."

"I want a truce."

The firebender stared blankly at her for a moment before throwing her head back with laughter. The cackle would have usually sent a chill down Mai's spine, but she stood her ground. She frowned. "If you're going to laugh, then I guess I'm going to have to tell Zuko that you're unfit to travel any further."

Azula was serious again, hunching forward. "_What_?"

"You heard me."

"He doesn't trust you. He left you to help _me_. He trusts _me_."

"I don't know who he trusts, but it's obvious he wants me to help you too… as much as I hate you."

"Help me? Oh my, this is entertaining…"

"I'm coming with you to search for Ursa."

"_Don't say her name_!" Azula bellowed, her composure cracking again. She plunged her hand into her pocket once more.

"What are you taking?" Mai asked for a second time, for it was obvious now that it was some kind of drug—she just didn't know what. She was certain that Azula had become addicted to it, using it feed her inner dragon of destruction. If she couldn't wreak havoc on anyone around her, then she would do so on herself. The medicine didn't seem to be working, though, because every touchy subject set the firebender off. "Because I don't think it's helping. Look at yourself."

"Stay out of my head," Azula snapped.

"I'm not in it."

"I don't _care_. Stay _out_."

"If you think I'm a hallucination, I'm not."

Azula didn't say anything in return, cringing and twitching, appearing just as crazy as she had been in prison. Really, to Mai, she wasn't that different, despite what Zuko had said. Azula's body shuddered a number of times, shivering in the moonlight, before the "medicine" kicked in and calmed her down. Azula glanced at Mai, causing a ripple of emotional pain seared through her chest. It hurt just to _look_ at the woman, the _traitor_. But there she stood, strict and infallible as always; she was an object she couldn't ignore. It didn't matter what good intentions she had (not that she had any "good intentions"); Azula wouldn't place an ounce of trust in someone she hated so much, and who hated her in return. It would have been foolish and stupid. Her hair had slipped from its topknot when she had escaped from the water and clawed at it before taking her medication. It fell in front of her eyes when she glared at Mai, as if she was glowering from behind prison bars.

"A truce," she growled. "What do you mean?"

Mai noticed the obvious change in her behavior. "I'll be traveling with you, Ty Lee, and Zuko once we leave Ba Sing Se. We have to get along for this to work."

"And how is that going to happen? I'll _never_ forgive you."

"And _I'll_ never forgive _you_," Mai shot back, and Azula winced. Who knew that wounding her was so easy now? "But I'm willing to cut a deal."

"A deal?" Now _this _perked Azula's interest. She smirked. "I'm listening."

"If we find your mother, you won't have to go back to prison. If we don't, you have to."

"No deal! You'll have me put back in prison either way, won't you? Where's _my_ benefit?"

"Finding your mother."

"Ha, you make it sound like I _want _to find her."

"You must have some drive to it, otherwise you would have never gotten this far."

"Ever think that I have _other_ ideas?"

Mai's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "'Other ideas'?"

Azula haplessly shrugged. "Doesn't matter," she chirped, and held out a hand over the stream. There was no way she was going to cross it. "Now, do we have a deal?"

Mai knew Azula well. The girl could be lying, could forget their promise. Wait, no… there was something about her that was… Mai couldn't quite put her finger on it. Despite her doubts in Azula's honesty, she reached across and shook the firebender's hand.

"You have to keep your promise."

"Oh, I will," Azula grinned. "I _will_."

"And no one else has to know about this. They'll need to think it's a truce."

"All the better." Azula smirked. Mai knew that that face was the exact one she couldn't trust. Azula wouldn't keep her promise, but the deal had been made. Now it was just a matter of when she broke it.


	19. Chapter 19

T r u e , while one may consider this to be a filler chapter, don't instantly abandon it like it's "The Great Divide". I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and my beta reports that she enjoyed reading it. And now that I think about it, I think I could write an entire novel on the economy in the Avatarverse. My history teacher's right. I should become an economist. Big bucks, ya know.

* * *

Mai descended the enclosed staircase inside Ba Sing Se's grand palace, finally waking from a night of mixed emotions. The hall was wide as the stairs ended and came to a lengthy corridor, where to her immediate right the tall windows were open and allowing her to get a panoramic view of the city. The sun streamed in, lighting the hallway in shining gold and soft tan, the summer wind rippling the emerald tapestries that hung as curtains. It was a brand new day, meant to be beautiful, but Mai had her doubts. Something would likely go wrong.

She sighed and turned to her left, where the corridor opened up to the Earth King's dining chamber. It was large and empty of furniture spare the long, granite table in the middle of the room, complete with sandstone chairs. The roof above had been specially opened by the palace's earthbenders for the day, so bright light shone down on the table's occupants, who were chowing down breakfast from their loaded ceramic plates, preparing for the day ahead. Mai kept her frown and took a seat next to the returned Earth King, Kuei. She wanted to stay as far away from Azula as possible.

"Morning Mai!" Ty Lee called from the other end of the table. "You're the last one to wake up!"

"Good morning, Ty Lee," Mai replied. A servant came up behind her and set down a rich breakfast of grilled raven-salmon, shitake mushrooms, and fried rice. "Emperor Kuei, Zuko, Aang, Toph." Mai nodded respectively to all of them. Azula cleared her throat, but Mai ignored her. "How is everyone?"

There was a mixture of replies before Zuko's voice rose above everyone else's. "Considering that we'll be staying here for while, I figured it best to explore the city a bit. Aang and I will be busy all day with the remnants of the Phoenix Loyalists we took down yesterday."

"Yeah," Toph added. "I'll be helpin' 'em. Y'know, in case they get violent."

"What about the rest of us?" Azula asked primly, purposely avoiding Mai's gaze. She focused on her brother's instead.

"We were thinking that you, Mai, and Ty Lee could go into the market for some supplies."

Mai and Azula instantly locked glares. Testing one another this early in the morning was dangerous for just about everyone.

"Can't I stay here?" Azula complained, crossing her arms and slumping back in her chair. "I hate the market. And I don't want to be caught anywhere with _her_."

"Likewise," Mai agreed. "And you've never even _been _to the market."

"So you both want to stay?" Aang questioned.

"Yeah, and let Ty Lee do all the shopping?" Zuko snickered.

"No!" Mai and Azula exclaimed at the same time, jumping to their feet.

"Then it appears that you are both going," Emperor Kuei concluded, and the two women sat back down as he spoke. "And when you're all done shopping, you can meet Aang and me on the north side of town, where the Airbending Academy is."

"Airbending Academy?" Ty Lee echoed. "What's that?"

"It's really cool," Toph answered. "Even though I can't really see it, it's awesome."

Aang nodded. "Yeah, it's something you have to see. We're trying to develop airbending again, because according to our research, people should still be able to. They just need a teacher. And if they can't bend, then we can at least try to re-create it."

"Re-create it? How does that work?" Zuko asked.

"Oh, you'll see, I promise. It's amazing, and really successful."

"Oooh, I wanna see!" Ty Lee exclaimed.

"Yes, it definitely _sounds _interesting," Azula said thoughtfully, obviously musing with other things on her mind. If they could develop airbending again, could they do the same with firebending? Not that she would want to change her form, but she wouldn't have minded getting rid of the pain that was becoming more and more unbearable when she bended. She placed her chopsticks down in her plate and looked decisively at Ty Lee. "I suppose we should get going then."

"You have to wait for Mai—she's not done," Zuko called as Ty Lee and Azula stood up to walk away. Azula looked over her shoulder, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Oh, she'll catch up."

The rest of Mai's breakfast tasted sour, and she deliberately ate slow so she wouldn't have to chase Azula and Ty Lee into the market. Going with them was just stupid. She had only just "made up" with Azula last night, and it hadn't even been on a friendly basis, but strictly business to gain what they each wanted. Zuko couldn't have been expecting them to get along so quickly, could he? Toph, Aang, and Kuei left the table before she was done. Zuko waited for her to finish, saying, "The reason I want you three to go together isn't for your benefit."

"Right," Mai chortled. "It's for _hers_."

"Partly. But she's been good, lately, and it would be healthy for her to socialize again."

"Socialize—if you mean setting people on fire, going crazy in public, and blasting down every waterbender or anyone resembling a waterbender."

"That's another reason you should go. In case anything goes wrong, you need to protect the people, because Ty Lee's not strong enough."

"So why don't you have guards follow them?"

"And draw more attention than needed?"

"Then why couldn't she stay here while Ty Lee and I go?"

"Do you really trust Azula alone in the palace?"

"No. Of course not."

"Exactly. And what's wrong with going? You made a truce to be friends again."

Mai clenched her teeth before answering him. She hadn't told him everything the night before they had gone to bed. Then again, if she did tell him, it had probably been when they had been making out, so he wouldn't have been paying attention. She couldn't lie and say that she and Azula had made a deal instead. But, keeping a secret was all about playing the part, and right now that part called for Mai to go to market with Azula. Mai wiped her mouth with a napkin. "All right, I'll go. Is there anything specific you need?"

"Not that I can think of," he replied, and Mai walked around to his side of the table. She pressed a hand on his cheek, noticing that he had shaved. "Unless you can buy me a razor."

Mai rolled her eyes. "I liked it when you had hair."

"Then I guess I won't need it."

The couple united with a kiss before taking off their separate ways, leaving the mess to the servants.

"Hey," Aang called to the Fire Lord, entering the chamber once more. "You coming?"

"Yeah, sure," Zuko replied, leaving the table. He couldn't wait to see the Reconstruction of Ba Sing Se.

The city may have been severely damaged the previous year, but the destruction had cleared away areas for newer, more technological architectures. The market now covered the eastern sector, taking in the shipments from the Full Moon and Chameleon Bays, importing and exporting materials from all around the world—uniquely colored messenger-hawks, komodo-rhino armor, koala-sheep fur coats, ivory moose-lion tusks and teeth, rare herbs from the far south, zebra-whale blubber, square-shaped melons, endangered polar-rabbit meat, finely-knitted wheat threads, Gaoling cotton, platypus-bear hides, gems from the Fire Nation volcanoes, caught and cleaned giant koi fish, spicy Ember Islands habaneras, sweet moon peaches, swamp mushrooms, untainted cactus juice, tamed canyon-crawlers, blubbered seal-jerky, a rainbow assortment of jennomite, fluffy pau buns, silken Water Tribe dresses, sizzle-chips and fire flakes—_everything_.

The market was also conveniently located next to the Hu Xin Provinces, where most of the Earth Kingdom's staple crops—rice, barley, lentils, potatoes, beans, cabbage, lettuce, onions, wheat, corn, and other various vegetables and grains—were tended at plantations, harvested, and then taken into town to be sold for a hearty and reasonable profit. The people benefitted from this constant influx of food as some of the prices were cheaper than others depending on the quality of the crop. More expensive items usually concerned imports from the Water Tribes or independent islands, such as polar-wolf puppies and hog-monkey skulls used for religious ceremonies.

Items from the Fire Nation, however, were at a seriously low price, for they had dominated the market with their sinewy monopolies and tough-nailed bargainers that cheated their customers for more than money during the war. It was unfortunate, really, because the Fire Nation needed a rise in economy, their debt weighing more and more, their inflation rising as each day went by. People did not crave their crops of radishes, indigo, wasabi, or peppers; nor did they want to purchase their jewels from Mount Diamondhead or overabundance of quickly-manufactured and standardized polyester. The people had refused these things, boycotting the Fire Nation through the market since the beginning of the war. Even if it was over now, the Fire Nation had nothing of value to offer them.

Yes, it appeared that since the war had ended, Ba Sing Se's central market was booming. However, most of the materials exchanged never went beyond the walls, keeping the people inside fat and happy while allowing the rest of the country to starve or meagerly survive on cabbage. It was the reason so many immigrants were now pouring into the haven of milk and honey. But other than its market, Ba Sing Se was filling up quickly, and needed more room, as if it were a stomach expanded from overeating. On the northwestern side of the city, the Great Wall had been torn down not just to build the Airbending Academy, but to construct an entirely new district created exclusively for immigrants or those in dire poverty; for if Ba Sing Se could not grow, its overpopulation would become its prime issue, and eventually it would have to begin rejecting immigrants and closing its gates to foreigners—something the city had not done since the dreaded Black Skunk-Rat Plague of the Kuruk Era, and that had been to quarantine the virus. The economy had drastically fallen during that time period, and an economic loss was something Ba Sing Se could not afford now since they had recently come back from their Hundred-Year Depression.

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee walked through this prospering and mildly trouble market, each of them carrying empty woolen bags over their shoulders. Ty Lee marveled at the brightly-colored costumes and make-up of the entertainment and theatre department while Mai tugged her along, reluctantly following Azula's lead. Mai hitched up her pace so she was walking on the firebender's left and Ty Lee on Azula's right, confirming their positions. Azula didn't notice, holding her head high and striding along with elegance, catching the eye of every young man with ease, and it was as if she was a Princess all over again. Even without royalty, Azula was the center of attention. No one realized that it had been she that made the Dai Li tear down the Great Wall and open their defenses to the Fire Nation just one year ago, perhaps one of the greatest feats in military history. The people did not recognize Mai, the fiancé of the Fire Lord, either; they were commoners like everyone else.

"So what are we supposed to be shopping for?" Mai asked as they entered the widespread food department, which took up most of the market's sector. They walked for a little bit through the crowded street, stuffed with multicolored stands and baskets overloaded with supplies, the people bustling about. Azula wandered over to a stand, picking up a dark purple penta-squash.

"I don't know, I've never really been to a market before," the convalescent remarked. She stuck the penta-squash in her bag, and almost instantly the saleswoman was on her.

"You!" she shouted, practically lunging over the stand. "You put penta-squash back now!"

Azula glared at her. "_Why_?"

"You got money? You pay! You no got money, you no get penta-squash!"

"This is supposed to be a _trading _market, you _peasant_. So if you don't let me—"

Ty Lee jumped in a clapped a hand over Azula's mouth, pulling the penta-squash out of her bag and placing it back on the stand. She smiled nervously at the old woman and said, "Sorry. We'll be leaving now". The old woman grunted in reply, stealing away the penta-squash and cleaning it with her apron. The trio went back to milling with the crowd to find a good stand.

"What was _that _about? Why did you do that?" Azula demanded.

"You gotta pay for stuff, silly," Ty Lee laughed, and Azula scowled. The girl should not have been laughing at her foolishness, for it made her look and _feel_ stupid.

"But this is a _trading _market," Azula insisted. "Not a store."

"You can't trade unless you have something to trade _with_," Mai explained. "Otherwise, we're just customers. They sell, we pay. Just like everyone else."

"Oh, please don't say that," Azula complained, dragging a hand over her face. "I get enough self-deprecation in a day, I don't need any more."

Despite the complaint, the three of them continued walking, keeping a lookout for quality stands. Azula spotted one featuring a delectable assortment of breads and wandered off to purchase one, Mai and Ty Lee following close behind to make sure she did the right thing. They stood behind her and waited.

"Will you be nicer?" Ty Lee whispered to Mai, briefly looking away from what the firebender was doing. She crossed her arms.

"I am being _nice_," the assassin huffed. "She's just taking things too seriously."

Ty Lee laughed. "Right, and you're _not_. C'mon, it's a beautiful day, and she's never been to a market before. I don't think she cares about being mad at you right now. I mean, just look at her. Doesn't she remind you of a little kid?"

The acrobat motioned back at Azula, who handed the stand's salesman a couple of coins and placed the bread in the bag. Well, she did appear occupied… Mai wondered how much medicine she had taken to make her like this.

"A little," Mai admitted. Azula walked over to them, and the assassin eyed the loaf in her bag. "How much was that?"

Azula shrugged. "32 gold pieces. Quite a good deal," she said nonchalantly, and Ty Lee squealed, seizing the bread.

"32 gold pieces?!" she shrieked. "Azula, that's not a good deal! We could've bought a whole basketful rice for that much! You gotta return this!"

"There's no way he's going to take it back," Mai stated, and nodded at the salesman. He was gleefully counting the coins, marveling at them. "No such thing as refunds in the marketplace. He tricked you."

"I don't understand," Azula said flatly.

"Look," Ty Lee said, slinging Azula's bag over her shoulder. "Mai and I will take care of the money. You won't have to worry about anything."

"It's because you don't trust me, isn't it?"

"Well…" Mai began, but Ty Lee cut her off.

"No, it's not. Mai and I have been to the market before, so we know what to do."

"I can learn."

"Maybe later," Mai said. "We don't need to blow all of our gold pieces on… _bread_."

"Oh. Well then, what should I do?"

Mai and Ty Lee looked curiously at one another. Azula had never asked them such a question before, and now _they _were uncertain of what to do. Ty Lee smiled widely, friendly.

"Just follow us," she said simply with cheer. "We can get our stuff, and then we can go try on some clothes and eat lunch."

Mai shot her a look at the word 'clothes'. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I _am_. Because you both need to lighten up!" Ty Lee exclaimed, and grabbed both of their hands in hers. Azula and Mai glared at one another, each thinking that the other had put them up to this, but Ty Lee didn't notice at all. She was just being Ty Lee, uniting her friends together again, as she always did when they were fighting. They both knew from past experiences that it was useless to try and let go of the acrobat's hand—the girl had some supernatural death grip. Ty Lee dragged them through the streets, stopping at the occasional stand with cheap prices, picking up bean puffs, nuts, dried peaches, and seaweed-wrapped komodo-rhino sausage for their journey later. When their bags became full of the required supplies, Ty Lee squealed with delight as they finally exited the food district and entered the clothes district. Mai rolled her eyes.

"Let's do this some other time," she groaned. "I'm hungry. We should get lunch instead."

"Aww…" Ty Lee turned around, and they began to walk away, but Azula did not follow. They looked at her, wondering, for she had a pensive expression, a hand curled around her chin, musing. It was not a surprise that she looked so deviant, eyes flashing as they locked with Mai's.

"You still haven't married Zuzu yet, have you?" she quipped. Mai held up the back of her hand with the engagement ring on it, and Azula took a step towards her. Mai instinctively went on the defense, and Ty Lee thought that Azula was going to do something harmful, but she was full of play, for she said, "Then sooner or later you're going to have to pick out a wedding dress."

Ty Lee gasped and began bouncing from foot to foot in utter excitement. "Oh, that's a great idea! Ba Sing Se has the best fashions!"

But Mai was not excited. Instead, she leered at Azula hard and straight in the eye, trying to figure her out. Though the girl had always been a master liar, Mai had never been fooled. Perhaps what surprised her was the look Azula was attempting to convey—friendship, she assumed—was that it was genuine.

"C'mon Mai!" Ty Lee whinnied, now clinging to her sleeve.

"It'll be fun," Azula added. "What's the harm in simple dress shopping?"

"There's usually harm if _you're _involved," Mai replied hotly.

"Well, I don't have any intention of harming you. I don't want to break our little deal now, do I?"

"Deal?" Ty Lee echoed, but it was ignored.

"If you're abiding by those rules then I guess it'll be tolerable," Mai decided, and Azula smirked.

"Good. Now let's find something for you that's _not _black."

Ty Lee shrieked in delight and Mai snorted, the three of them making their way to the dress boutiques. Featured on wooden mannequins and hanging clothes racks were all kinds of different styles, colors, and fabrics. From skirts to kimonos to underwear were hundreds upon hundreds of outfits, causing women and men alike from all over the world coming to the Ba Sing Se market merely to check out their fashion. The latest was displayed on a large mannequin at the center of all the racks; a giant, very Air Nomad-esque cotton sweater that was made for wearing on extremely hot days. As the girls wandered through (and Ty Lee held up the top of a bikini to her chest), Azula kept an eye on Mai over her shoulder. If she could ignore Mai, then the market would be more enjoyable. It was difficult to do, however, as Ty Lee forced Mai into a number of gowns and the firebender was required to give an opinion each one.

"That's hideous."

"Much too drab. Ty Lee, are you sure you picked this one?"

"Depends on your hair."

"You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Definitely not."

Mai went through a plethora of dresses, trying to find the right one, but Azula shot all of them down.

"One more," Mai announced. "And then we're done. I'm sick of looking like a fool."

"Okay!" Ty Lee chirped, and briefly disappeared into the clothing racks. Mai crossed her arms at Azula.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"I don't know what you mean." Azula shrugged, and Ty Lee bounced back, holding up a dress. It was charcoal black and strapless, made of some soft silk and Gaoling cotton, synthesized so it was comfortable and so the long hem stayed straight. Extending from the back to the front was an orange and yellow phoenix, embroidered, shimmering gold. The thread sutures of the dress were also gold, accentuating the phoenix's beauty and flames that contrasted the obsidian base. It was completed with a gold sash that was made to dangle around the wearer's waist When Azula saw this, she stood up, lifting a hand to run her fingertips along the phoenix's large wing. "I like this one," she said fondly. "You should wear it. I would if I could."

"You only like this one because of your father."

Their eyes briefly met, and Azula continued to stroke the phoenix, looking away. "Yes, you're right, Mai. It does remind me of him."

It was certainly strange, seeing the sad and forlorn look on Azula's face. It was one of humility—something Mai thought that Azula wasn't capable of. If she had any other intentions, as Mai suspected, she hid them well. Mai was half-tempted to say no, that the dress wasn't appropriate, but maybe if it caused Azula to act this way, put her in her place… Ty Lee and Zuko may not have liked it, but Mai didn't doubt that it could work. If she reminded Azula of Ozai, and brought her to this humility, Mai saw no reason as to why she would not get the dress.

"All right, I'll get it," Mai announced.

"Hey Azula, y'know what we should do?" Ty Lee cheered. "We should get bridesmaid dresses!"

"I admire how you automatically assume that I'm going to be a bridesmaid," Azula said thickly, glancing at Mai, who had gone to purchase the gown. Ty Lee shrugged in response, not really caring one way or another. She smiled.

"Yeah, well, don't you want some new clothes? I mean, that's your _Dai Li _outfit."

Azula frowned, insulted, but then glanced down at her clothes. The emerald and shining green it had once been was now a dull olive, and the cream-colored sleeves had turned a rugged and dirty brown; the fabric was worn and frayed by peasantry. Even the clasp that had once held her hair tight and secure was beginning to loosen with age. She looked once more at Mai and the phoenix emblazoned on her dress before she sighed heavily, giving in. If there was one thing Ty Lee knew, it was fashion. "I suppose you're right. If I wear this over and over, I'll get fleas..."

"Yes!" Ty Lee exclaimed, jumping in the air. "I know just the thing!" The acrobat skedaddled to the racks again. Mai returned, arms crossed. Azula did the same, and Mai raised an eyebrow.

"Are you meaning to mock me?" she asked dryly.

"Imitation _is _the sincerest form of flattery."

"Just who are you trying to impress?"

Azula ducked her head as if pointing to a pair of boys combing through the men's clothes. Mai frowned, completely disgusted.

"I can't believe you. Are you even aware of who that is?"

"No, but they look familiar. I want to meet them."

"It's not a good idea. Don't."

"Oh come now. Bringing me to the market wasn't a good idea either, but look where I am."

Mai's frown did not let up as Azula smirked confidently, striding past her just as Ty Lee returned.

"Where's she going?" the acrobat asked.

"To see Chan and Ronjion over there."

"You mean those cute boys we met on Ember Island?"

"They're not cute."

"Yeah, but c'mon Mai, Chan's pretty hot, and Ronjion's sexy, and—"

"They're jerks. Go keep—"

"_CRAZY_?!" Azula suddenly shouted, cutting Mai off as she looked at Azula, who stumbled backwards, obviously enraged. "You worthless peasants think _I'm crazy_?! I'll show _you _crazy!"

Mai's eyes widened as she saw Azula shift into a too-familiar stance, her hands swinging around in wide arcs, summoning all of her chi. Mai and Ty Lee rushed to tackle her, but it was too late. They collided and something like a large firecracker exploded in front of Azula, who was then separated from the boys by a thick blast of black smoke that sent dresses and outfits flying in the air. Azula was the first to recover, getting to her feet as if she had not been hurt, when Mai's hand clasped around her wrist, preventing her from charging at the boys.

"Let me go, let me go! If you don't I'll—"

"It doesn't matter what you do to me, you've made a scene."

"I don't care, didn't you _hear _them? I am not crazy, I'm—"

"We have to get out of here," Ty Lee said worriedly as the smoke cleared. People were beginning to crowd, alarmed by the sudden explosion, and Chan and Ronjion were helping one another up.

"And _let them get away_?" Azula hissed as Ty Lee grabbed her other wrist, both of them now being held by her two companions. "Imbeciles! Don't you realize what will happen if I don't get them? I'm not crazy, let go of me, they're the ones that should get captured, not me! They—"

Mai brought her hand up and struck Azula across the face, _hard_.

"_We_," Mai said icily. "Are going to leave them alone."

Mai jerked on Azula's wrist, yanking her in the opposite direction of the boys and the crowd, Ty Lee silently following and lightly holding onto Azula's other wrist. Jarred by the slap, Azula stumbled after, as if she were in some kind of daze. Mai didn't look behind her once to see if Azula was going to run away, just kept pulling her along in the crowd, like the hand connecting them was some kind of leash.

After several minutes, the trio headed for a noodle shop for lunch, taking seats on stools before a counter. Mai had to tug the silent Azula into a seat, as she had become mildly unresponsive since the slap. Her hair hung in front of her face; her mouth was a shapeless line. She sat with her hands on the counter, and Mai let go of her wrist, but the convalescent hardly noticed. Ty Lee sat on the other side of Azula and looked apprehensively over at Mai, her brown eyes pleading the assassin to apologize. Mai scowled and Ty Lee's eyes got wider, pleading more, and finally Mai rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to apologize, you know."

Azula glanced at her from behind a fray of bangs that had fallen over her eyes. A faint, not quite sane smirk creased her lips at Mai's words. "Good," she drawled. "Because I don't forgive you anyways."

"Guys!" Ty Lee exclaimed. "This isn't how we fix things!"

But Azula and Mai ignored her, turning to the chef that was to be fixing their meals. They sat beside one another in a cold and rigid alliance, clearly at war with each other, but not doing anything about it. Ty Lee pouted at their childish behavior—Azula she could accept, but _Mai_? She was the one that was supposed to have a sense of right… and what Mai was doing now wasn't right. It didn't seem to matter to her, though, for she had been acting as such the entire day. Casting her gaze away from her companions Ty Lee turned to her bowl of noodles. She didn't even remember ordering.


End file.
